Tissue Technologies, LLC focuses on the fabrication of "living" body parts without the use of genetic engineering or transgenic animals. In July 2006 the firm's first product, a dressing used to treat chronic wounds, was approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Tissue Technologies' dressing is different from typical gauze bandages in its proposed ability to interact with proteases, enzymes that are found in chronic wounds at high concentrations. Proteases play an important role in regulating the balance between tissue synthesis and degradation. However, in chronic wounds this regulation may be defective, resulting in substantial healing problems. Specifically, high protease levels in chronic wound fluid delays the wound healing process by degrading newly formed tissue and growth factor proteins. With initial FDA approval granted, Tissue Technologies will now work to prove their product promotes healing by eliminating the elevated levels of protease in chronic wound fluid. In addition to its protease inhibiting bandage, Tissue Technologies is developing products that prevent chronic wounds before they occur as well as a diagnostic strip that will allow nurses to determine protease levels in wound fluid with a âlitmusâ-type dipping str
