Breakthroughs in Tissue Engineering

November 17, 2009

A tissue is an aggregate of cells, growing and thriving in an environment where they adhere and interact with one another. Tissue Engineering is the use of bioengineering methods to create, improve, develop and grow tissues, which then may be used for grafting, cartilage repair or, ultimately, regenerative medical procedures. The study of tissues is aimed at determining the answers to fundamental questions such as how cells react and interact in a specific matrix, and may involve the use of proteomics to study gene expression and protein production in complex environments. This form of systems biology might look at cellular functions such as excretion of intercellular signaling substances, and epigenetic factors that determine physical features such as size and shape of organs. (About)