The journal focuses on the concepts, strategies, methods, experiments and interdisciplinary approach to tissue engineering. artificial cells and regenerative medicine. The emphasis is to develop therapeutic strategies to supplement, repair or regenerate cell, tissue and organ function.
3 MAIN AREAS
- Cell and Tissue Engineering. Cell engineering is a large area, but this journal will concentrate on cell engineering related to tissue engineering, artificial cells and regenerative medicine.
In the 1980s and ‘90s, Robert Langer's pioneering work on using cells and biodegradable scaffolds to develop into functional organs or tissues, has been instrumental in tissue engineering. Already in use include skin, cartridge and bone. Ambitious but exciting future developments include heart and other organs. Tissue engineering includes methods and procedure for seeding cells, the design of biocompatible and biodegradable scaffolds; adequate blood supply to the entrapped cells to permit growth; and carriers for angiogenic factors and growth factors. Recent developments in tissue engineering include the use of three-dimensional bioprinting, organ-on-a-chip, and induced pluripotent stem cell technologies.
- Artificial Cells. Red blood cells (rbc) are one of the most important cells. Without it, our organs and cells cannot survive. Thus, in 1958, Chang prepared the first artificial cells in the form of artificial rbc. After extensive international efforts, an earlier type is in routine use in surgery in some countries and another type has been approved in the EU for the maintenance of pretransplant kidneys. Research continues into other new innovations with promising results.
Artificial cells have expanded into unlimited numbers of configurations. Some are in clinical use with continue improvements: examples include COVID and other vaccines, enzyme therapy, cancer therapy, hemoperfusion for COVID, poisoning and organ support, drug delivery. Active research towards clinical uses include other areas of nanomedicine, biotherapeutics, cell/stem cell therapy, nanoparticle, bioencapsulation, replicating synthetic cells, cell encapsulation, nanobiotechnology
- Regenerative Medicine includes stem cell engineering, that involves platforms to expand, implant, and mobilize stem cells for tissue repair and replacement; and biodegradable conduit for nerve regeneration.
The development of stem cell technology in combination with artificial cells and tissue engineering techniques, such as scaffolds and the addition of growth factors, has allowed researchers to improve the viability and proliferation of stem cells in regenerative medicine.A recent interest is the use of artificial red blood cells to maintain and improve the viability of stored tissues and organs before transplantation.
