Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
point in mind, we developed an elastic, biodegradable PLCL scaf-
fold and tested it in several cartilage regeneration models. From the
results, we could confirm that the mechano-active PLCL scaffolds
could effectively deliver the mechanical signals of the surrounding
biologicalenvironmentto the adherent chondrocytes.
27.4 Conclusions and Outlook
Mammalian cells and tissues reside in mechanically dynamic
microenvironments in the body. Inappropriate physical loads upon
tissues result in tissue deformation. Numerous studies have con-
firmed that proper mechanical stimuli applied to cells or tissues are
involved in maintaining cell/tissue morphology and inducing spe-
cialized functions. Mechanical stimuli have recently been applied
to regenerate functional tissues, in particular, tissues in the cardio-
vascular system and articular cartilage. To reconstruct functionally
active SM tissues and chondrogenic tissues that are comparable to
the native tissues, the
in vitro
re-creation of the
in vivo
mechano-
active microenvironments may be necessary in the tissue engi-
neering process. Tissue engineering scaffolds play a crucial role in
delivering mechanical stresses from the extracellular environment
to the cells responsible for tissue formation. PLCL is a rubberlike,
elastic, biodegradable polymer that has developed as a key mate-
rial for mechano-active tissue engineering. In both
in vitro
and
in vivo
studies, PLCL scaffolds have been beneficial in sustaining
SMC phenotype and chondrogenic differentiation in vascular tissue
engineering and cartilage tissue engineering, respectively, presum-
ably through effectively transmitting mechanical signals through
dynamic microenvironments. PLCL will be an excellent candi-
date material for mechano-active scaffolds that deliver mechanical
stresses to cells and tissues viaa transducer.
Acknowledgments
This study was supported in part by a grant from the Korea Health
21 R&D Project, Ministry of Health & Welfare (MOHW) (A050082).
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