This book covers the most recent developments in the field of osteochondral tissue engineering (OCTE) and covers in detail the concepts and current challenges for bone and cartilage repair and regeneration. Specific topics include viscosupplementation, biologicals, tissue engineering approaches, in vitro and in vivo models, and technological advances with stem cells, bioreactors, and microfluidics. Osteochondral Tissue Engineering: Challenges, Current Strategies, and Technological Advances presents challenges and strategies in the field of osteochondral regeneration and serves as a core reference for biomedical engineering students and a wide range of established researchers and professionals working in orthopedics.

This book reviews the most recent developments in the field of osteochondral tissue engineering (OCTE) and presents challenges and strategies being developed that face not only bone and cartilage regeneration, but also establish osteochondral interface formation in order to translate it into a clinical setting. Topics include nanotechnology approaches and biomaterials advances in osteochondral engineering, advanced processing methodology, as well as scaffolding and surface engineering strategies in OCTE. Hydrogel systems for osteochondral applications are also detailed thoroughly. Osteochondral Tissue Engineering: Nanotechnology, Scaffolding-Related Developments and Translation is an ideal book for biomedical engineering students and a wide range of established researchers and professionals working in the orthopedic field.

This book offers a comprehensive overview of the development and application of microfluidics and biosensors in cancer research, in particular, their applications in cancer modeling and theranostics. Over the last decades, considerable effort has been made to develop new technologies to improve the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Microfluidics has proven to be a powerful tool for manipulating biological fluids with high precision and efficiency and has already been adopted by the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. With recent technological advances, particularly biosensors, microfluidic devices have increased their usefulness and importance in oncology and cancer research. The aim of this book is to bring together in a single volume all the knowledge and expertise required for the development and application of microfluidic systems and biosensors in cancer modeling and theranostics. It begins with a detailed introduction to the fundamental aspects of tumor biology, cancer biomarkers, biosensors and microfluidics. With this knowledge in mind, the following sections highlight important advances in developing and applying biosensors and microfluidic devices in cancer research at universities and in the industry. Strategies for identifying and evaluating potent disease biomarkers and developing biosensors and microfluidic devices for their detection are discussed in detail. Finally, the transfer of these technologies into the clinical environment for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients will be highlighted. By combining the recent advances made in the development and application of microfluidics and biosensors in cancer research in academia and clinics, this book will be useful literature for readers from a variety of backgrounds. It offers new visions of how this technology can influence daily life in hospitals and companies, improving research methodologies and the prognosis of cancer patients.

Cell-Derived Matrices Part B, Volume 157 provides a detailed description and step-by-step methods surrounding the use of three-dimensional cell-derived matrices for tissue engineering applications. Chapters in this new release include Glaucomatous cell-derived matrices, Cardiac tissue explants decellularization, Decellularization of skin matrices for wound healing applications, Guiding axonal growth by aligned cell-derived matrices for spinal cord injury regeneration, Human Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Matrices for Enhanced Osteoregeneration, Amniotic decellularized matrices, Three-Dimensional (3-D) Tissue Reconstruction without Scaffold, Tubular cell-derived matrices for TERM applications, and more.

Biodegradable, polymer-based systems are playing an increasingly pivotal role in tissue engineering replacement and regeneration. This type of biology-driven materials science is slated to be one of the key research areas of the 21st century. The following aspects are crucial: the development of adequate human cell culture to produce the tissues in adequate polymer scaffold materials; the development of culture technology with which human tissues can be grown ex-vivo in 3D polymer matrices; the development of material technology for producing the degradable, 3D matrices, having mechanical properties similar to natural tissue. In addressing these and similar problems, the book contains chapters on biodegradable polymers, polymeric biomaterials, surface modification for controlling cell-material interactions, scaffold design and processing, biomimetic coatings, biocompatibility evaluation, tissue engineering constructs, cell isolation, characterisation and culture, and controlled release of bioactive agents.

The development of materials for any replacement or regeneration application should be based on the thorough understanding of the structure to be substituted. This is true in many fields, but particularly exigent in substitution and regeneration medicine. The demands upon the material properties largely depend on the site of application and the function it has to restore. Ideally, a replacement material should mimic the living tissue from a mechanical, chemical, biological and functional point of view. Of course this is much easier to write down than to implement in clinical practice. Mineralized tissues such as bones, tooth and shells have attracted, in the last few years, considerable interest as natural anisotropic composite structures with adequate mechanical properties. In fact, Nature is and will continue to be the best materials scientist ever. Who better than nature can design complex structures and control the intricate phenomena (processing routes) that lead to the final shape and structure (from the macro to the nano level) of living creatures? Who can combine biological and physico-chemical mechanisms in such a way that can build ideal structure-properties relationships? Who, else than Nature, can really design smart structural components that respond in-situ to exterior stimulus, being able of adapting constantly their microstructure and correspondent properties? In the described philosophy line, mineralized tissues and biomineralization processes are ideal examples to learn-from for the materials scientist of the future.

Cell-Derived Matrices, Part A, Volume 156, provides a detailed description and step-by-step methods surrounding the use of three-dimensional cell-derived matrices for tissue engineering applications. Biochemical, biophysical and cell biological approaches are presented, along with sample results. Specific chapters cover Anisotropic cell-derived matrices with controlled 3D architecture, Generation of functional fluorescently-labelled cell-derived matrices by means of genetically-modified fibroblasts, Bi-layered cell-derived matrices, Engineering clinically-relevant cell-derived matrices using primary fibroblasts, Decellularized matrices for bioprinting applications, and much more.

This book reviews the most recent developments in the field of osteochondral tissue engineering (OCTE) and presents challenges and strategies being developed that face not only bone and cartilage regeneration, but also establish osteochondral interface formation in order to translate it into a clinical setting. Topics include nanotechnology approaches and biomaterials advances in osteochondral engineering, advanced processing methodology, as well as scaffolding and surface engineering strategies in OCTE. Hydrogel systems for osteochondral applications are also detailed thoroughly. Osteochondral Tissue Engineering: Nanotechnology, Scaffolding-Related Developments and Translation is an ideal book for biomedical engineering students and a wide range of established researchers and professionals working in the orthopedic field.

This book covers the most recent developments in the field of osteochondral tissue engineering (OCTE) and covers in detail the concepts and current challenges for bone and cartilage repair and regeneration. Specific topics include viscosupplementation, biologicals, tissue engineering approaches, in vitro and in vivo models, and technological advances with stem cells, bioreactors, and microfluidics. Osteochondral Tissue Engineering: Challenges, Current Strategies, and Technological Advances presents challenges and strategies in the field of osteochondral regeneration and serves as a core reference for biomedical engineering students and a wide range of established researchers and professionals working in orthopedics.

The development of materials for any replacement or regeneration application should be based on the thorough understanding of the structure to be substituted. This is true in many fields, but particularly exigent in substitution and regeneration medicine. The demands upon the material properties largely depend on the site of application and the function it has to restore. Ideally, a replacement material should mimic the living tissue from a mechanical, chemical, biological and functional point of view. Of course this is much easier to write down than to implement in clinical practice. Mineralized tissues such as bones, tooth and shells have attracted, in the last few years, considerable interest as natural anisotropic composite structures with adequate mechanical properties. In fact, Nature is and will continue to be the best materials scientist ever. Who better than nature can design complex structures and control the intricate phenomena (processing routes) that lead to the final shape and structure (from the macro to the nano level) of living creatures? Who can combine biological and physico-chemical mechanisms in such a way that can build ideal structure-properties relationships? Who, else than Nature, can really design smart structural components that respond in-situ to exterior stimulus, being able of adapting constantly their microstructure and correspondent properties? In the described philosophy line, mineralized tissues and biomineralization processes are ideal examples to learn-from for the materials scientist of the future.

Biodegradable, polymer-based systems are playing an increasingly pivotal role in tissue engineering replacement and regeneration. This type of biology-driven materials science is slated to be one of the key research areas of the 21st century. The following aspects are crucial: the development of adequate human cell culture to produce the tissues in adequate polymer scaffold materials; the development of culture technology with which human tissues can be grown ex-vivo in 3D polymer matrices; the development of material technology for producing the degradable, 3D matrices, having mechanical properties similar to natural tissue. In addressing these and similar problems, the book contains chapters on biodegradable polymers, polymeric biomaterials, surface modification for controlling cell-material interactions, scaffold design and processing, biomimetic coatings, biocompatibility evaluation, tissue engineering constructs, cell isolation, characterisation and culture, and controlled release of bioactive agents.

This book offers a comprehensive overview of the development and application of microfluidics and biosensors in cancer research, in particular, their applications in cancer modeling and theranostics. Over the last decades, considerable effort has been made to develop new technologies to improve the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Microfluidics has proven to be a powerful tool for manipulating biological fluids with high precision and efficiency and has already been adopted by the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. With recent technological advances, particularly biosensors, microfluidic devices have increased their usefulness and importance in oncology and cancer research. The aim of this book is to bring together in a single volume all the knowledge and expertise required for the development and application of microfluidic systems and biosensors in cancer modeling and theranostics. It begins with a detailed introduction to the fundamental aspects of tumor biology, cancer biomarkers, biosensors and microfluidics. With this knowledge in mind, the following sections highlight important advances in developing and applying biosensors and microfluidic devices in cancer research at universities and in the industry. Strategies for identifying and evaluating potent disease biomarkers and developing biosensors and microfluidic devices for their detection are discussed in detail. Finally, the transfer of these technologies into the clinical environment for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients will be highlighted. By combining the recent advances made in the development and application of microfluidics and biosensors in cancer research in academia and clinics, this book will be useful literature for readers from a variety of backgrounds. It offers new visions of how this technology can influence daily life in hospitals and companies, improving research methodologies and the prognosis of cancer patients.

Hydrogels for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine: From Fundaments to Applications provides the reader with a comprehensive, concise and thoroughly up-to-date resource on the different types of hydrogels in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. The book is divided into three main sections that describe biological activities and the structural and physicochemical properties of hydrogels, along with a wide range of applications, including their combination with emerging technologies. Written by a diverse range of international academics for professionals, researchers, undergraduate and graduate students, this groundbreaking publication fills a gap in literature needed in the tissue engineering and regenerative medicine field.

Biomaterials for 3D Tumor Modeling reviews the fundamentals and most relevant areas of the latest advances of research of 3D cancer models, focusing on biomaterials science, tissue engineering, drug delivery and screening aspects. The book reviews advanced fundamental topics, including the causes of cancer, existing cancer models, angiogenesis and inflammation during cancer progression, and metastasis in 3D biomaterials. Then, the most relevant biomaterials are reviewed, including methods for engineering and fabrication of biomaterials. 3D models for key biological systems and types of cancer are also discussed, including lung, liver, oral, prostate, pancreatic, ovarian, bone and pediatric cancer. This book is suitable for those working in the disciplines of materials science, biochemistry, genetics, molecular biology, drug delivery and regenerative medicine.

Conventional materials technology has yielded clear improvements in regenerative medicine. Ideally, however, a replacement material should mimic the living tissue mechanically, chemically, biologically and functionally. The use of tissue-engineered products based on novel biodegradable polymeric systems will lead to dramatic improvements in health care. The most important materials in development for use in tissue engineering, replacement, and regeneration are based on polymers and on composites reinforced with bioactive ceramics. The first book to address the topic in an integrated manner, Biodegradable Systems in Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine presents an extensive description of biodegradable polymers used in medicine and explores their design, development, and processing. The authors discuss the performance of biodegradable systems and the special requirements that should be taken into account when evaluating their biocompatibility. Included are several methodologies for tailoring cell adhesion and proliferation on the surface of biodegradable polymers. This book represents a coordinated effort by outstanding international experts, and provides an integrated, forward-looking perspective. By joining together the most active groups in the field, the editors offer a unified approach, representing diverse fields of study, to produce a revolution in regenerative medicine.