Cartilage From Biology To Biofabrication

This book provides a comprehensive overview of cartilage structure, functions, and approaches for the regeneration of cartilage tissue. It reviews multiple signaling pathways that are involved in the growth and repair of cartilage tissue. The initial chapter of the book examines the etiology, diagnosis, and pathological features of various cartilage diseases. Subsequently, the book presents recent advances in biomaterial sciences, regenerative medicine, and fabrication technology for cartilage regeneration. It discusses hydrogels as a promising scaffold for cartilage tissue engineering, focusing on recapitulating microenvironments present during development or in adult tissue to induce the formation of cartilaginous constructs with biochemical and mechanical properties of native tissue. Lastly, it covers the applications of 3 D printing techniques for the fabrication of scaffolds for cartilage tissue regeneration for the production of biological implants capable of treating a range of conditions.

This detailed book brings together a collection of methodologies, from the most basic to the more complex, that provides researchers with a platform they can use to embark on a cartilage research career. To aid in the search for novel therapies for cartilage regeneration, this volume addresses 3D cartilage models, challenges associated with RNA and protein extraction, imaging, gene transfer, as well as stable differentiation and variations in cell phenotype from different tissue origins. Written for the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step and readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and up-to-date, Cartilage Tissue Engineering serves as an ideal guide for researchers working to advance the vital study of cartilage biology and repair.

This volume aims to describe clearly and in detail the key practical skills involved in cartilage tissue engineering. Methods are outlined for isolation and expansion of chondrocytes and stem cells; differentiation; synthesis and application of three-dimensional scaffolds; design and operation of bioreactors; in vivo testing of engineered constructs; and molecular and functional analysis of cartilage cells and tissues.

Cartilage injuries in children and adolescents are increasingly observed, with roughly 20% of knee injuries in adolescents requiring surgery. In the US alone, costs of osteoarthritis (OA) are in excess of $65 billion per year (both medical costs and lost wages). Comorbidities are common with OA and are also costly to manage. Articular cartilage's low friction and high capacity to bear load makes it critical in the movement of one bone against another, and its lack of a sustained natural healing response has necessitated a plethora of therapies. Tissue engineering is an emerging technology at the threshold of translation to clinical use. Replacement cartilage can be constructed in the laboratory to recapitulate the functional requirements of native tissues. This book outlines the biomechanical and biochemical characteristics of articular cartilage in both normal and pathological states, through development and aging. It also provides a historical perspective of past and current cartilage treatments and previous tissue engineering efforts. Methods and standards for evaluating the function of engineered tissues are discussed, and current cartilage products are presented with an analysis on the United States Food and Drug Administration regulatory pathways that products must follow to market. This book was written to serve as a reference for researchers seeking to learn about articular cartilage, for undergraduate and graduate level courses, and as a compendium of articular cartilage tissue engineering design criteria. Table of Contents: Hyaline Articular Cartilage / Cartilage Aging and Pathology / In Vitro / Bioreactors / Future Directions

Tissue engineering takes advantages of the combined use of cultured living cells and three-dimensional scaffolds to reconstruct adult tissues that are absent or malfunctioning. This book brings together scientists and clinicians working on a variety of approaches for regenerating of damaged or lost cartilage and bone to assess the progress of this dynamic field. In its early days, tissue engineering was driven by material scientists who designed novel bio-resorbable scaffolds on which to seed cells and grow tissues. This ground-breaking work generated high expectations, but there have been significant stumbling blocks holding back the widespread use of these techniques in the clinic. These challenges, and potential ways of overcoming them, are given thorough coverage in the discussions that follow each chapter. The key questions addressed in this book include the following. How good must cartilage repair be for it to be worthwhile? What is the best source of cells for tissue engineering of both bone and cartilage? Which are the most effective cell scaffolds? What are the best preclinical models for these technologies? And when it comes to clinical trials, what sort of outcome measures should be used? With contributions from some of the leading experts in this field, this timely publication will prove essential reading for anyone with an interest in the field of tissue engineering.

This book focuses on cartilage defects and new mesenchymal stem cell-based treatments for their repair and regeneration. Early chapters provide a review of current etiological findings and repair methods of cartilage defects. The next chapters discuss fundamental concepts and features of MSCs, including their proliferation, differentiation, migration and immunomodulatory effects. The discussion also includes clinical applications of MSCs in cartilage tissues, especially with regards to various animal models, biomaterials and transferring techniques. Cartilage Regeneration focuses on the biology of MSCs and their possible applications in cartilage reconstruction, with the goal of bringing new insights into regenerative medicine. It will be essential reading for researchers and clinicians in stem cells, regenerative medicine, biomedical engineering and orthopedic surgery.

Biofabrication for Orthopedics A comprehensive overview of biofabrication techniques for orthopedics and their novel applications With an ever-increasing global population and the rise in the occurrence of orthopedic diseases amongst an aging population, it is essential for technological advances to meet this growing medical need. Orthopedic biofabrication is a cutting-edge field that seeks to produce novel clinical solutions to this mounting problem, through the incorporation of revolutionary technologies that have the potential to not only transform healthcare, but also provide highly automated and personalized patient solutions. With the advances in the discipline, there is a significant growing interest in biofabrication for orthopedics in research activity geared towards routine clinical use. Ideal for a broad readership amongst medical practitioners and scientists, Biofabrication for Orthopedics summarizes all aspects of the topic: detailed information on the technology, along with advanced developments, research progress, and future perspectives on biofabrication for orthopaedics—particularly on the potential applications for tissue engineering technologies. In doing so, the book describes the various biomaterials—natural and synthetic—use for orthopedics and discusses the many ways in which these materials can be used in all parts of the body. As such, it offers detailed information on a wide range of applications in the fields of biology and clinical and industrial manufacturing. Biofabrication for Orthopedics readers will also find: Insights into the applications of biofabrication technologies in various bodily functions Thorough discussion of different biofabrication techniques used in creating orthopedic products, like stereolithography, cell sheet and organ bioprinting, electrospinning, and microfluidics Discussion of a wide range of diverse functions, such as bone implants, skin regeneration, vascularization, meniscus remodeling, and more Biofabrication for Orthopedics is a useful reference for those in a variety of research fields like medical-related practitioners and scientists, materials science, medicine, and manufacturing, as well as the libraries who support them.

This book offers a comprehensive overview of current challenges and strategies to regenerate load-bearing and calcified human tissues, including bone, cartilage,tendon, ligaments and dental structures (dentin, enamel, cementum and periodontal ligament). Tissue engineering has long held great promises as an improved treatment option for conditions affecting mineralized and load-bearing structures in the body. Although significant progress has been achieved in recent years, a number of challenges still exist. Scaffold vascularization, new biofabrication methods (3D printing, lithography, microfabrication), peptide conjugation methods, interface engineering, scaffold mechanical properties, iPS cells, organs-on-a-chip, are some of the topics discussed in this book. More specially, in the first section readers will find an overview of emerging biofabrication methods. In section 2, applied strategies for regeneration of (2.1) bone, cartilage and ligament, as well as (2.2) dentin, cementum, enamel and periodontal ligament are discussed across 14 chapters. While other volumes have addressed the regeneration of individual tissues, or exclusively focused on different regenerative strategies, the focus of this work is to bring together researchers integrating backgrounds in materials sciences, engineering, biology, mechanics, fluidics, etc, to address specific challenges common to regeneration of several load-bearing and calcified tissues. Therefore, this book provides a unique platform to stimulate progress in the regeneration of functional tissue substitutes. We envision that this book will represent a valuable reference source for university and college faculties, post‐doctoral research fellows, senior graduate students, and researchers from R&D laboratories in their endeavors to fabricate biomimetic load bearing tissues.