Patent ID: 8383408

Claim:
A method for manufacturing a tissue comprising: layering two or more nanofibrillar structures to form a multi-layered nanofibrillar assembly comprising an environment for growth of living cells in cell culture, the nanofibrillar structures comprising one or more synthetic polymeric nanofibers and a non-cytotoxic substrate, wherein the nanofibrillar structure is defined by a network of one or more nanofibers, the network having a thickness of a single nanofiber to about 2000 nanometers, wherein the nanofibrillar structure is deposited on a surface of the substrate and comprises one or more nanofibers having a diameter of about 50 to about 1000 nanometers, an average interfiber spacing of about 0.01 microns to about 25 microns, and a solidity of 30 percent to 70 percent; depositing viable cells onto the assembly; and culturing the cells deposited onto the assembly under conditions that promote growth and/or differentiation of the deposited cells.