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 21 st 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.

Inhalt
Overview on Polymeric Biomaterials and Biodegradable Polymers.- POLYMERIC BIOMATERIALS IN MEDICAL SYSTEMS.- BIODEGRADABLE POLYMERS FOR ORTHOPAEDIC APPLICATIONS.- POLYMERIC MATRICES FOR RELEASE OF GROWTH FACTORS, HORMONES AND OTHER BIOACTIVE AGENTS.- Novel Systems, Hydrogels and Bone Cements.- MEMBRANES AND HYDROGELS IN RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY.- KEY-PROPERTIES AND RECENT ADVANCES IN BONE CEMENTS TECHNOLOGY.- SOY PROTEIN-BASED SYSTEMS FOR DIFFERENT TISSUE REGENERATION APPLICATIONS.- Characterization of Polymeric Systems and Scaffolds.- IN VITRO TESTING OF POLYMERIC SCAFFOLDS.- CHARACTERIZATION OF DEGRADABLE POLYMERS FOR ORTHOPEDIC APPLICATION.- Examining Tyrosine-Derived Polycarbonates for Tissue Engineering of Bone.- DYNAMIC MECHANICAL ANALYSIS IN POLYMERS FOR MEDICAL APPLICATIONS.- Surface Modification, Functionalization and Osteoconductivity.- MACROMOLECULAR DESIGN OF NEW SYNTHETIC BIODEGRADABLE MEDICAL POLYMERS.- Functional Polyesters and Copolymers with Cell-adhesion Peptide Sequences.- SURFACE TREATMENTS AND PRE-CALCIFICATION ROUTES TO ENHANCE CELL ADHESION AND PROLIFERATION.- Tissue Engineering and Regeneration of Bone and Cartilage.- BONE TISSUE ENGINEERING USING STARCH BASED SCAFFOLDS OBTAINED BY DIFFERENT METHODS.- BONE TISSUE ENGINEERING BY CELL TRANSPLANTATION.- CULTURED BONE ON BIOMATERIAL SUBSTRATES.- A Tissue Engineering Approach to Treat Bone Defects.- INJECTABLE BIODEGRADABLE MATERIALS FOR ORTHOPAEDIC TISSUE ENGINEERING.- TISSUE ENGINEERING OF ELASTIC CARTILAGE BY USING SCAFFOLD/ CELL CONSTRUCTS WITH DIFFERENT PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES.- CRANIOFACIAL BONE TISSUE ENGINEERING USING MEDICAL IMAGING, COMPUTATIONAL MODELING, RAPID PROTOTYPING, BIORESORBABLE SCAFFOLDS AND BONE MARROW ASPIRATES.- Tissue Engineering and Regeneration of Other Tissues.- BIODEGRADABLE POLYMERS AS SCAFFOLDS FOR TISSUE ENGINEERING AND AS TISSUE REGENERATION INDUCERS.- SCAFFOLDING ARTERIAL TISSUE.- TISSUE-ENGINEERED VASCULAR GRAFTS FOR SMALL-DIAMETER ARTERIAL REPLACEMENT.- Industrial and Innovation Opportunities.- AN EXPLORATORY ANALYSIS OF THE DETERMINANTS OF INNOVATION IN THE EMERGING TISSUE ENGINEERING INDUSTRY.