Hierarchical Design of Tissue Regenerative Constructs

Abstract

The worldwide shortage of organs fosters significant advancements in regenerative therapies. Tissue engineering and regeneration aim to supply or repair organs or tissues by combining material scaffolds, biochemical signals, and cells. The greatest challenge entails the creation of a suitable implantable or injectable 3D macroenvironment and microenvironment to allow for ex vivo or in vivo cell-induced tissue formation. This review gives an overview of the essential components of tissue regenerating scaffolds, ranging from the molecular to the macroscopic scale in a hierarchical manner. Further, this review elaborates about recent pivotal technologies, such as photopatterning, electrospinning, 3D bioprinting, or the assembly of micrometer-scale building blocks, which enable the incorporation of local heterogeneities, similar to most native extracellular matrices. These methods are applied to mimic a vast number of different tissues, including cartilage, bone, nerves, muscle, heart, and blood vessels. Despite the tremendous progress that has been made in the last decade, it remains a hurdle to build biomaterial constructs in vitro or in vivo with a native-like structure and architecture, including spatiotemporal control of biofunctional domains and mechanical properties. New chemistries and assembly methods in water will be crucial to develop therapies that are clinically translatable and can evolve into organized and functional tissues.

Small molecules modified biomimetic gelatin/hydroxyapatite nanofibers constructing an ideal osteogenic microenvironment with significantly enhanced cranial bone formation

“…Thus, it is critical to develop a method to rebuild such microenvironment for bone regeneration. 1 Recently, bone tissue engineering provides a good solution for repairing large bone defects by interdisciplinary approaches. 2 However, the effect of osteogenesis still needs to be improved.…”

Emerging Trends in Information‐Driven Engineering of Complex Biological Systems

“…Complex tissues are arranged in a hierarchical fashion that enables specific function. [13,16] Here, we limit the discussion to key findings of the physical and chemical aspects of the microenvironment. Such hierarchical organization is evident across all tissue types and allows for the diversity of functions found in the human body.…”

“…Such hierarchical organization is evident across all tissue types and allows for the diversity of functions found in the human body. [13] The major participants that are critical to tissue structure and function are: i) cells, ii) the extracellular matrix, and iii) signaling molecules. [14] These components work in concert to achieve a targeted function.…”

“…Strategies for harnessing multiscale control over biological systems have recently been reviewed. [13,16] Here, we limit the discussion to key findings of the physical and chemical aspects of the microenvironment.…”

From Shape to Function: The Next Step in Bioprinting

“…The hierarchical spatial arrangement of these elements is paramount to how they interact with each other and, thus, closely orchestrates several processes during embryonic development, [1] in healthy tissue homeostasis, as well as during tissue regeneration. [2] Strategies to generate cell-material constructs that ultimately yield a healthy and mature functional tissue remains a major challenge in the field of regenerative medicine. material.…”