TISSUE ENGINEERING:
HALLMARK OF MODERN MEDICINE
BBS1224 | CELL&TISSUE CULTURE
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What is Tissue Engineering?
Tissue engineering is an emerging multidisciplinary field involving biology, medicine, and engineering that is likely to revolutionize the
INTRODUCTION
ways we improve the health and quality of life for millions of people worldwide by restoring, maintaining, or enhancing tissue and organ
function. In other words, tissue engineering is the development of artificial tissue and organ systems.
The term regenerative medicine is often used synonymously with tissue engineering, although those involved in regenerative medicine
place more emphasis on the use of stem cells to produce tissues.
Growth Factor
1. Remove cells1; The choice of growth factors depends solely on the types of
2. Expand number in culture; culture. Rich medium formulations like 199 and simpler media
3. Seed onto an appropriate scaffold2 with suitable growth factors3 like MEM are popular. Other combinations might include serum,
and cytokines4; additives like insulin, transferrin, ethanolamine and selenium. In
4. Place into culture5; order to reduce cell aggregation, Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions have to be
5. Re-implant engineered tissue repair damaged site. omitted from the medium, or alternatively low levels of trypsin
may be added to the medium. Ideal pH of the medium should
1
From fluid tissues such as blood, cells are extracted by bulk methods,
between 7.0 to 7.4.
usually centrifugation. From solid tissues usually the tissue is minced,
and then digested with the enzymes trypsin or collagenase to remove the Bioreactor
extracellular matrix that holds the cells.
2
Artificial structure capable of supporting three-dimensional tissue formation. More Custom-made devices called bioreactors allow for precise and
information at right. continuous control of culture conditions and also allow for
3
Protein capable of stimulating cellular proliferation and cellular differentiation. introduction of different stimuli to tissue cultures.
4
Group of proteins and peptides that are used in organisms as signalling compounds
5
Sometime in bioreactor. More information at right.
Current Uses Jackpot : Artificial and Synthetic Blood
• skin tissue replacement for ulcerations. Dozens of biotech companies from around the globe was involved
BD Bioscience specialize in artificial bones. Polyheme® is hemoglobin extracted from expired blood. The
product is supplied as a dried powder which is reconstituted and
has longer shelf life.
BioHeart Inc. specialize in regeneration of heart cells in vitro.
• inject heart cells into patient to repair damaged tissue
Oxygent® is synthetic blood which uses perfluoro-chemicals as
• in third stage human clinical trials in Europe the oxygen carrier. Surfactants, salts and water are added
Conclusion
As a foundation of tissue engineering, animal cell and tissue culture provides extensive probabilities for human being to improve health
quality, today and tomorrow. But, there is still much to be done and learned, scientifically and economically, to ensure that the benefits of
this technology will truly help everyone and without any notable, harmful side-effects.