S25.1. Tissue engineering: From biology to biological substitutes

Biodegradable poly(diol citrate) nanocomposite elastomers for soft tissue engineering

“…2,5 For instance, mechanical stimulation during in vitro tissue development has been shown to modulate cell differentiation, increase extracellular matrix synthesis, and enhance the mechanical properties of cartilaginous, ligamentous, and smooth muscle containing tissues. [6][7][8][9][10] In vivo, a disruption of normal tissue biomechanics may result in vascular disease and occlusion of vascular grafts. 11,12 In an attempt to improve the mechanical properties of polymeric devices, researchers have investigated the addition of a second component or phase, creating a composite material.…”

Decoupling Cell and Matrix Mechanics in Engineered Microtissues Using Magnetically Actuated Microcantilevers

“…Engineered tissues hold great promise for repairing damaged organs,1, 2 and as model systems for biomaterials research and drug screening 3. While structural details and biological characteristics have typically been the focus of benchmarking for engineered tissues,1, 2 the importance of their mechanical properties has been recently recognized 4–6. For example, studies have shown that improved mechanical properties can enhance engineered tissues' biological function 7–9.…”

“…We present here a 3D microtissue culture system that integrates the advantages of existing bio‐MEMS approaches with the capability of applying external loading to tissue samples via magnetic actuation. This integrated magnetic microtissue tester (MMT) system enables simultaneous quantification of both the tissue contraction force and tissue stiffness, two of the most critical mechanical parameters for the regulation of cellular biological functions 4–7. Using this culture system, we studied the cell and matrix contributions to the material properties of fibroblast populated collagen microtissues.…”

Bioprinting living structures

“…The feasibility of such biomechanical conditioning for vascular tissue engineering has been previously demonstrated. 56,57 To this end we have developed a perfusion bioreactor which is adaptable to the perfusion of a printed 3D organoid with one artery and one vein. 58 Chemical approaches towards accelerated tissue maturation include the use of collagen synthesis, deposition, assembly and cross-linking inducing factors (e.g.…”