Tissue engineering synthetic polymers

As discussed above, polymers play a pivotal role in tissue engineering. To fiilfill the diverse needs in tissue engineering, various polymers have been exploited in tissue engineering research, including natural polsrmers (macromolecules), natural polymer-derived materials, synthetic polymers, and synthetic polymers made of natural monomers or modified with natural moieties. Various copolymers, polymer blends, or polymeric composite materials are also used. This section is not intended to be a complete and exhaustive review of all the polymers used in tissue engineering. Instead, some of the most frequently used polymers (macromolecules) iu tissue engineering are briefly reviewed. 

Topics within individual chapters include DDS in eaneer chemotherapy Polymeric hydrogels in drug release composite materials as scaffolds for tissue engineering. Synthetic peptide and their polymers as vaecines. 

Although the majority of synthetic materials explored for applications in tissue engineering are polymers, several research groups have explored the use of non-polymeric synthetic materials that can be processed into materials conducive to tissue engineering applications. 

Natural or synthetic HA has been intensively nsed in pure ceramic scaffolds as well as in polymer-ceramic composite systems. In fact, dne to calcinm phosphate osteocon-ductive properties, HA, TCP and BCP can be nsed as a scaffold matrix for bone-tissue engineering. However, these ceramic phases do not possess osteoinductive ability and their biodegradability is relatively slow, particularly in the case of crystalline HA (see Section 15.4.1). To overcome these drawbacks, biodegradable polymers added with osteogenic potential cells are used to make new biocomposite materials. Some of the tissue-engineered CP-polymer nanocomposite scaffolds are briefly described in the following sections, showing that both natural and synthetic polymers can be used to this aim. 

Abstract Synthetic polymers and biopolymers are extensively used within the field of tissue engineering. Some common examples of these materials include polylactic acid, polyglycolic acid, collagen, elastin, and various forms of polysaccharides. In terms of application, these materials are primarily used in the construction of scaffolds that aid in the local delivery of cells and growth factors, and in many cases fulfill a mechanical role in supporting physiologic loads that would otherwise be supported by a healthy tissue. In this review we will examine the development of scaffolds derived from biopolymers and their use with various cell types in the context of tissue engineering the nucleus pulposus of the intervertebral disc. 

P A Gunatillake, P.A., and Adhikari. R., Biodegradable Synthetic Polymers for tissue engineering, European Cells and Materials Vol. 5. 2003 (pages 1-16). 

Nerem R.M., Braddon L.G., Scliktar D., Ziegler T., Tissue engineering and the vascular system in Attala A., Mooney D.J., Vacanti J.P., Langer R. (eds) Synthetic Biodegradable Polymer Scaffolds, Birkhauser, Boston, 1997, 165— 185. 

Kretlow JD, Mikos AG (2007) Review mineralization of synthetic polymer scaffolds for bone tissue engineering. Tissue Eng 13(5) 927—938... 

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