ABSTRACT
A tissue-engineered implant designed to restore or modify the function of a tissue or an organ is usually composed of a combination of biocompatible materials and biological components of the tissue.1 Biocompatible matrices have several key roles, which include facilitating cellular migration or invasion into the implanted material, guiding wound healing and tissue regeneration, and providing specific cues through cell/matrix interactions and tissue responses to the material. Regulated growth factor/hormone release from matrices or transplanted cells can create a refined and controlled approach to tissue regeneration. Immobilized bioactive ligands on or within biomaterials control single and multiple cellular morphologies and functions via receptor-mediated processes and are called biomimetic materials.2 Inclusion of growth factors within tissueengineered therapies mimics the natural tissue microenvironment and will presumably improve healing.
