Device for extracting and collecting tissue, which can be used for example in tissue engineering and grafting applications, is disclosed. In one embodiment, a device can include an outer tube. A rotatable shaft can be disposed within the outer tube and can have a tissue harvesting tip formed on its distal end, the tissue harvesting tip being effective to excise tissue upon rotation thereof. A tissue collection device can be included to receive and collect excised tissue, and the tissue collection device can indicate the amount of tissue collected therein. In many cases, devices disclosed herein can include driving mechanisms that are adapted to drive a tissue harvesting tip such that the tip excises soft tissue, but stops when contacting bone (or soon after contacting bone). In some embodiments, the tissue harvesting tip can be effective to excise viable tissue samples, such that the samples can exhibit desirable proportions of viable cells. Further, in some embodiments, the tissue harvesting tips can excise a tissue sample with tissue particles falling in certain size ranges.
