History, Challenges, and Opportunities in Tissue Engineering

History, Challenges, and Opportunities in Tissue Engineering

M. Gokul Varshan, P. Joel Josephson, Bijaya Bijeta Nayak, Venkatesan Hariram, K. Balachandar
Copyright: © 2023 |Pages: 20
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-6684-7412-9.ch009
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Abstract

In the last several decades, the area of tissue engineering has experienced significant growth, bringing to the clinic treatments that were long thought to be the stuff of science fiction. Although the use of tissue engineering concepts in clinics is not particularly common, the field is predicted to have a very bright future as more tissues will be added to the list of “clinically applicable tissue engineered constructs.” Future advancements are likely to make it feasible to combine immune-transparent cells with a commercially available scaffold and cultivate them in a sophisticated bioreactor to provide messages specifically designed for the target region. However, much basic and applied scientific study is still needed before off-the-shelf body parts become therapeutically useful. The development of innovative biomaterials for the various tissue engineering and regenerative medicine applications will be the main focus of future efforts. The biomaterials' structure and mechanical characteristics will be tailored to better fit the target tissue.
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Clinical Need For Tissue Engineering And Regenerative Medicine

Our desire to heal damaged tissues has led to a clinical demand for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Regardless of how these flaws developed (con- genital or acquired), conventional medical methods are still unable to effectively or totally correct them. In truth, there are many health issues for which traditional medicine is severely limited in its ability to provide a remedy. Pharmaceuticals are often used to treat illnesses and injuries, while prosthetic devices and organ transplants are utilised to treat more serious disorders. Pharmaceuticals may be helpful in treating a variety of ailments, but they are unable to treat some fatal illnesses (such as various cancers, strokes, diabetes, etc.) or illnesses that are in advanced stages (such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, osteoarthritis, etc.). Yet, prosthetic devices are unable to restore normal function, and there are always many fewer organ donors than needed. This kind of engineering can be utilised to heal illnesses that are resistant to conventional medicine and to produce real, functional organs, eliminating the need for organ donors and prostheses.

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