Developments in Tissue Engineering for Biomedical Applications

Tissue engineering is a critical branch of biomedical engineering that may change patient care forever. This field combines biology, medicine and engineering to develop new ways to repair and regenerate tissues in the human body. According to the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, the goal of tissue engineering is “to assemble functional constructs that restore, maintain, or improve damaged tissues or whole organs.”¹

Its applications are game-changing, offering the possibility to heal damaged organs and wounds, and even create new tissues in the lab. Professionals in tissue engineering are at the forefront of scientific advancement, driving progress that could significantly improve health outcomes and redefine medical possibilities. Although tissue engineering is currently limited in practical applications, it has the potential to revolutionize tissue repair and regeneration.¹

This article will explore advances in tissue engineering, including biocompatible tissues and regenerative medicine, and ways in which these advances may help treat complicated diseases.

Biomaterials in Tissue Engineering

Biomaterials are the cornerstone of tissue engineering, comprising substances engineered to interact with biological systems for medical purposes. They aren’t necessarily living materials: biomaterials can be metal, plastic, or composites. Their properties are meticulously designed to mimic the natural cellular environment, fostering tissue growth and repair. Applications range from scaffolds for tissue regeneration to implants and prosthetics, all of which play a vital role in restoring function and improving patient outcomes. Artificial hip joints, heart valves and stents are all examples of biomaterials.²

These must be biocompatible materials, encouraging cell attachment and proliferation without causing adverse reactions such as inflammatory or toxic responses. Biomedical engineers evaluate materials for biocompatibility by assessing how well cells adhere, proliferate, and function in the body, as well as whether they provoke an immune response or are toxic to cells.³

Recent progress in biomaterials is greatly enhancing tissue engineering. Scientists have made bioactive materials that can trigger precise bodily reactions, aiding tissue bonding and recovery. Hydrogels have become popular because their water-rich nature resembles human tissue.⁴ Further, the creation of synthetic polymers has advanced to the point that we can tailor them to break down at set rates and have specific strengths for various medical needs.⁵ The Munich-based company AMSilk produces an engineered spider silk that can be used to coat medical implants and reduce inflammation and infection. Headquartered in the Netherlands, Xeltis has developed bioabsorbable polymers to make artificial heart valves and blood vessels. These materials trigger the body to repair itself, eventually replacing the implant with its own tissue.⁶

Advances in Tissue Engineering

Tissue engineering includes several key techniques that aim to mimic or induce healthy tissue formation. Scientists can create scaffolds that use a natural or synthetic structure to serve as a foundation for growing tissues. They then either seed the structure with the desired tissue or add growth factors to encourage the surrounding tissue to grow onto the scaffold.⁷

Bioprinting is another innovative technique in tissue engineering. Bioinks are made of natural or artificial biomaterials that can be mixed with living tissue. These bioinks are used to 3D print structures that mimic tissues and organs. Currently, 3D bioprinting is being used mainly for research and drug-development purposes.⁸

Scaffold-free, cell-based tissue engineering takes advantage of the inherent properties of cells to develop sheets of microtissues. These are less likely to produce an immune response and provide better biocompatibility than scaffold-based approaches.⁹

Tissue Engineering Applications

The current applications of tissue engineering are primarily in research. Biosensors can use engineered tissues to detect chemical or biological agents and tissue chips are being used to test drug toxicity of new medications.¹

Although an entire trachea was implanted in a patient and tissue engineering has been used in small arteries, skin grafts and cartilages, regenerative tissue technology is still experimental and expensive. In the future, it may play a significant role in wound healing, organ transplantation and personalized medicine.¹

Biomaterial Development

Biomaterials were initially developed to minimize negative reactions such as inflammation in the body. However, engineers are now creating biomaterials that can actively contribute to regenerative healing. As detailed by Dr. Rosalyn Abbott, assistant professor in biomedical engineering and material science engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, in a 2024 interview for Lab Manager, biomaterials can be:¹⁰

• Designed to promote regenerative responses, deliver drugs and vaccines or improve wound healing
• Designed to enhance cell attachment (for tissue engineering approaches) or block cell or protein attachment (in the case of a stent or heart valve where cellular attachment would block blood flow)
• 3D-printed into anatomically correct shapes to fit patient-specific defects

Engineers are developing smart biomaterials that can respond to chemical or physical stimulation. Hydrogels that respond to temperature can swell or contract based on body temperature. Other biomaterials, such as pH-responsive ones, can be designed to deliver drugs to tumors, as they often have a lower pH than healthy tissues.¹¹ Biomaterials also have the potential to customize medical treatments further through stem cells and customized 3D bioprinted scaffolds as well as personalized drug delivery systems.¹²

Although biomaterials are a significant contribution to healthcare, engineers must address several ethical considerations presented by their use.

• As a 2024 article for the Association for Women in Science noted, Henrietta Lacks was a patient undergoing treatment for cervical cancer in 1951, when scientists collected some of her cells without her consent. They were used to establish the HeLa cell line that is still used in medical research today¹³  
• Animal studies and sourcing raise further questions. Animals in research may be subjected to painful and/or harmful procedures. Can we justify making them suffer in the service of scientific advancement? They do not have the option to consent to participation in medical research. Do they have the right to live without being used for human benefit?
• Although customized care—personalized medicine—can be more effective than a one-size-fits-all approach, it also dramatically increases the cost of healthcare. The soaring cost can be a significant barrier to access, widening the gap between outcomes for those with and without sizable financial resources¹⁴ 

Help Lead the Future of Regenerative Medicine

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