Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
18
SHG Imaging for Tissue
Engineering Applications
18.1 Background........................................................................................409
Tissue Engineering Using Biomaterial Scaffolds • Scaffold
Properties and Synthesis • Microscopy Techniques in Tissue
Engineering
18.2 SHG Microscopy on Collagen in Tissue Engineering ................412
Collagen Scaffolds • Extracellular Matrix Collagen
18.3 Biosynthesized Cellulose .................................................................415
SHG Microscopy on Biosynthesized Cellulose • Tissue Engineering
Applications of Biosynthesized Cellulose
18.4 Silk Fibroin.........................................................................................420
18.5 Skeletal Muscle Tissue Engineering...............................................422
18.6 Summary............................................................................................422
Acknowledgments ........................................................................................423
References......................................................................................................423
Annika Enejder
Chalmers University of
Technology
Christian
Brackmann
Lund University
18.1 Background
The loss or failure of tissue or an organ is a recurrent and costly health problem worldwide. The aim of
tissue engineering is to restore, maintain, or improve the functionality of lost or damaged tissue by the
use of cells. This requires detailed characterization of the generated construct and microscopy tech-
niques based on nonlinear optical interactions have become increasingly used for this purpose. This
chapter is focused on second-harmonic generation (SHG) microscopy applied as tool in tissue engineer-
ing. A short background on tissue engineering and microscopy techniques for tissue characterization is
followed by presentations of SHG microscopy applications.
18.1.1 tissue engineering Using Biomaterial Scaffolds
Treatment of lost tissue often relies on transplantations, either of donor or of autologous tissue. Both
alternatives have limitations; there is for example a limited supply of donor transplants, which also
require immunosuppression therapy with possible side effects. Transplanted autologous tissue may lack
some of the functions of the original tissue and the procedure may also introduce complications at the
donor site. In some cases, artificial substitutes manufactured from nonbiological materials can be used,
for example, synthetic polymer blood vessels or joint replacement prostheses. However, these replace-
ments have drawbacks such as risk for infections, limited material durability, and lack of mechanisms
for repair, growth, and remodeling. For these reasons, development of advanced artificial tissue con-
structs with adaptive capabilities is desirable.
409
