ABSTRACT
Tissue engineering is a combination of biology and engineering for producing biological substitute structures that can reconstitute cellular or tissue function, which is lost, declining, or insufŠcient. Theorized for a long time, the Šeld has evolved greatly within recent decades to meet the challenges of disease and a limited organ donor supply. For tissue substitutes to be successful in replacing lost function, they must accurately and reliably perform the desired function that is dependent on a multitude of variables. Parameters that must be carefully investigated include the cell source, the polymeric scaffold support,
CONTENTS
Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 129 Motivation .................................................................................................................................... 130 From Fiction to Reality ............................................................................................................... 130 Cellular Systems Biology ........................................................................................................... 131
Tissues and Organs ................................................................................................................ 132 Extracellular Matrix ............................................................................................................... 132 Genes and Proteins ................................................................................................................. 132 Cell Growth ............................................................................................................................. 132 Morphology and Arrangement ............................................................................................ 133 Immune System ...................................................................................................................... 133
Tissue Engineering Construct Components ............................................................................ 133 Cell Sources ............................................................................................................................. 133 Scaffolds ................................................................................................................................... 135 Cell Culture ............................................................................................................................. 138
Transplantation and Cryopreservation .................................................................................... 140 Applications ................................................................................................................................. 141
Skin ........................................................................................................................................... 142 Liver ......................................................................................................................................... 142 Bone .......................................................................................................................................... 144 Gene Therapy .......................................................................................................................... 144 In Vitro Studies ....................................................................................................................... 145 Cell-Based Technologies ........................................................................................................ 145
Current Challenges ..................................................................................................................... 145 Conclusions .................................................................................................................................. 145 References ..................................................................................................................................... 146
the tissue culture protocol, and the implantation procedure. Tissue engineering research covers a wide range of applications including many tissue substitutes, cell therapy, and diagnostic modeling. Although faced with as yet unmet challenges, tissue engineering stands to provide momentous advancements to health in the 21st century.
