Composites and Structures for Regenerative Engineering
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Composites and Structures for Regenerative Engineering Cato T. Laurencin1,2,3,4,*, M.D., Ph.D. and Roshan James1,2,4, Ph.D. 1
Institute for Regenerative Engineering The Raymond and Beverly Sackler Center for Biomedical, Biological, Physical and Engineering Sciences 3 Connecticut Institute for Clinical and Translational Science 4 Department of Orthopaedic Surgery 2
The University of Connecticut Health Center 263 Farmington Avenue Farmington, CT 06030, U.S.A *
Corresponding author: Cato T. Laurencin, M.D.,Ph.D. University Professor University of Connecticut Health Center 263 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, CT, USA 06030 Phone: +1-860-679-6544 Fax: +1-860-679-1553 Email: [email protected] ABSTRACT Regenerative engineering was conceptualized by bridging the lessons learned in developmental biology and stem cell science with biomaterial constructs and engineering principles to ultimately generate de novo tissue. We seek to incorporate our understanding of natural tissue development to design tissue-inducing biomaterials, structures and composites than can stimulate the regeneration of complex tissues, organs, and organ systems through location-specific topographies and physico-chemical cues incorporated into a continuous phase. This combination of classical top-down tissue engineering approach with bottom-up strategies used in regenerative biology represents a new multidisciplinary paradigm. Advanced surface topographies and material scales are used to control cell fate and the consequent regenerative capacity. Musculoskeletal tissues are critical to the normal functioning of an individual and following damage or degeneration they show extremely limited endogenous regenerative capacity. The increasing demand for biologically compatible donor tissue and organ transplants far outstrips the availability leading to an acute shortage. We have developed several biomimetic structures using various biomaterial platforms to combine optimal mechanical properties, porosity, bioactivity, and functionality to effect repair and regeneration of hard tissues such as bone, and soft tissues such as ligament and tendon. Starting with simple structures, we have developed composite and multi-scale systems that very closely mimic the native tissue architecture and
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material composition. Ultimately, we aim to modulate the regenerative potential, including proliferation, phenotype maturation, matrix production, and apoptosis through cell-scaffold and host –scaffold interactions developing complex tissues and organ systems. INTRODUCTION Health care issues arising from tissue loss or organ failure are among the most devastating and costliest world over [1]. Musculoskeletal injuries are largely from trauma, disease, and birth defects, and collectively there occurs over 34 million musculoskeletal organ repair or replacement surgeries in the US each year. The fascination to regenerate tissues moved toward a realistic platform when Y. C. Fung first proposed the term ‘Tissue Engineering’ at the 1987 meeting of the National Science Foundation [2
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