ABSTRACT
It is postulated that approximately 1 in 5 people who reach the age of 65 will require some form of organ or tissue replacement [1]. The direct and indirect costs associated with these surgeries are an enormous burden to the health care providers. In addition, there are severe limitations to supply and use of conventional biomaterials and medical devices, as well as traditional cadaver organ/tissue replacements. Tissue engineering is an emerging multidisciplinary alternative solution to this shortfall that creates new functional and viable tissues/organs from autologous cells and scaffolds.
