Tissue Engineering- A technology of tomorrow

Is there a limit to our dreams?... NO!!!.. We are human beings and we strive on inventions. 20 years back, noone had thought that mobile phones would become a day-to-day accesory. Today, almost everyone has it.

Can you imagine building an artificial heart from the cells of a living human?... Would you prefer to have a brand new bone instead of a metal rod, in case you meet with an accident?... Can you think of getting organ replacements that would help you live longer and healthier?...

Yes guys yes!! Here comes Tissue Engineering. And here come Bio-Engineers. We are here to change the world, we are here to let people live longer and happier. We are going to give you something, which, 10 years back, would have been considered as a miracle. Its a reality today... This miracle is called Tissue Engineering.

Sounds interesting?!?.. Read on.

What is Tissue Engineering?... Its a science ( or an art) of generating natural tissues and creating new tissues using biological cells, biomaterials, and some novel methods. Let me explain this to you in simple terms:

Tissue engineering is an innovative approach for repairing and replacing of damaged or diseased body parts. Cells, derived from same human source, or from other animal, which are often seeded into or shaped around a biomaterial matrix (called as a scaffold), are used to replace the tissue. As our understanding grows of the characteristics of various types of cells, and their interactions with materials, and how culture conditions can influence their development, we can see the potential for regeneration of damaged or diseased body parts with more authority.

Tissue engineering will have a significant impact in several areas of science and medicine in the future. Tissue engineering products (e.g., skin, cartilage) based on cell transplantation approaches are already available for clinical use. It is based upon a relatively simple concept: Start with some building material (e.g., extracellular matrix or biodegradable polymer... also known as a scaffold), shape it as needed, seed it with living cells and bathe it with growth factors (which helps the body to recognize the implant). When the cells multiply, they fill up the scaffold and grow into three-dimensional tissue, and once implanted in the body, the cells recreate their intended tissue functions. Blood vessels attach themselves to the new tissue, the scaffold dissolves, and the newly grown tissue eventually blends in with its surroundings. Regeneration of skin, bone, and blood vessels will likely be routine in the near (5-10 years) future.

The ultimate goal of we Tissue Engineers is to develop complete internal organs (e.g., heart, liver, brain). Researchers have taken the first steps towards that goal and have successfully created bio-artificial systems to treat patients with diabetic ulcers and soon will have the ability to repair and replace damaged cartilage.

However, we are still at the very beginning of what seems to be a field with potentially limitless growth. Success will largely depend on the ability of scientists to figure out complex cellular interactions, then intervening with the right scaffold material and exact growth factors and cells. But Tissue Engineering promises to be one of the most exciting and promising fields to look for.

http://wtec.org/loyola/te/final/te_final.pdf