Thinking Inside the Box: Keeping Tissue-Engineered ConstructsIn Vitrofor Use as Preclinical Models

Corneal Tissue Engineering: Recent Advances and Future Perspectives

“…In vitro cornea models range from simple monolayer systems to stratified cell cultures, to epithelium-stroma multilayered systems, and culminate in 3D full-thickness corneal equivalents, as function of system complexity, cost and culture sustainability, and clinical significance of each approach. 92 Color images available online at www.liebertpub.com/teb Union Cosmetics Directive requires that irritancy testing of cosmetic products needs to be carried out on in vitro models. 92 Engineered tissue analogs may provide effective alternatives to supplant the need for animal testing.…”

“…92 Color images available online at www.liebertpub.com/teb Union Cosmetics Directive requires that irritancy testing of cosmetic products needs to be carried out on in vitro models. 92 Engineered tissue analogs may provide effective alternatives to supplant the need for animal testing. In particular, a tissue-engineered cornea could be used in place of the gold standard model for eye irritancy, the Draize Test, which is based on observations upon topical application of a substance in the rabbit eye.…”

On the Genealogy of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine

“…The bioengineered tissue constructs thus developed recapitulate the native architecture, physiology, dynamic conditions, intercellular, and cell-matrix interactions more accurately than two-dimensional culture monolayers, cadaveric tissues, as well as animal models. [100][101][102][103] As such, these ex vivo constructs can be employed as preclinical models for high-throughput drug screening, 100,102 pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamics analyses of drugs, 102 and device testing. 100 The advantages offered by these ''synthetic'' tissues include decreased costs, increased reproducibility, precise control over culture conditions, incorporation of human cells, and systematic evaluation of the product being tested.…”

“…[100][101][102][103] As such, these ex vivo constructs can be employed as preclinical models for high-throughput drug screening, 100,102 pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamics analyses of drugs, 102 and device testing. 100 The advantages offered by these ''synthetic'' tissues include decreased costs, increased reproducibility, precise control over culture conditions, incorporation of human cells, and systematic evaluation of the product being tested. 100 The platforms utilized include spheroids and cell sheet stacking, matrix-embedded, lithography, 103 microfluidic cell culture, hollow-fiber, and multicellular layer models.…”

“…100 The advantages offered by these ''synthetic'' tissues include decreased costs, increased reproducibility, precise control over culture conditions, incorporation of human cells, and systematic evaluation of the product being tested. 100 The platforms utilized include spheroids and cell sheet stacking, matrix-embedded, lithography, 103 microfluidic cell culture, hollow-fiber, and multicellular layer models. 102 Specific examples, which have been reviewed extensively here, 100,102,103 include blood vessels for device (stents) 104,105 and drug testing 106 ; bioengineered blood-brain barriers to test drug permeability 107 and disease modelling [108][109][110] ; musculoskeletal tissue to optimize drugs aimed at improving muscular growth and function, 111 as well as to evaluate the impact of prosthetic devices on muscular tissues.…”