ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the current status in the induction and evaluation of tissue regeneration based on polysaccharide as a cell scaffold and drug delivery carrier. It is well recognized that cells are present in the living tissue interacting with the extracellular matrix of a natural scaffold for their proliferation, differentiation, and morphogenesis. Cell scaffold materials should be safe contacting with cells transplated and have an adequate mechanical strength during the process of tissue regeneration while they should disappear after the tissue regeneration. Transplantation of cells artificially manipulated to obtain biological functions, such as the survival, proliferation, differentiation, and therapeutic abilities, is expected to promote the induction of tissue regeneration compared with the original cells alone. Cationized polymers as a carrier of nucleic acid modified with a side chain of a polysaccharide have been also reported. Non-invasive imaging technologies have been widely used in clinical diagnosis.
