Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 5
Nicholas P. Rhodes
*
and John A. Hunt
UK Centre for Tissue Engineering, University of Liverpool,
Duncan Building, Daulby Street, Liverpool L69 3GA, UK
*npr@liverpool.ac.uk
Conventional therapies for the reconstruction of soft tissues
often do not result in a satisfactory outcome. Tissue engineer-
ing strategies are likely to give improved results, in terms of
both aesthetic and functional characteristics. Acellular therapies,
if possible, are favored over delivery of cell-based solutions, for
clinical and commercial reasons. In this chapter we describe our
experiences with scaffolds intended to support the growth, pro-
liferation, and differentiation of preadipocyte and mesenchymal
progenitor cells. These materials were assessed
in vivo
in rats
for their ability to stimulate the infiltration of progenitor cells
of adipocytic lineage, the host response during medium-term
intramuscular implantation, and the resultant differentiation into
mature adipocytes. The most promising biomaterial was found
to be a dodecyl-amidated hyaluronan gel, a viscous matrix with
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