Biodegradable Systems in Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine

Conventional materials technology has yielded clear improvements in regenerative medicine. Ideally, however, a replacement material should mimic the living tissue mechanically, chemically, biologically and functionally. The use of tissue-engineered products based on novel biodegradable polymeric systems will lead to dramatic improvements in health care. The most important materials in development for use in tissue engineering, replacement, and regeneration are based on polymers and on composites reinforced with bioactive ceramics. The first book to address the topic in an integrated manner, Biodegradable Systems in Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine presents an extensive description of biodegradable polymers used in medicine and explores their design, development, and processing. The authors discuss the performance of biodegradable systems and the special requirements that should be taken into account when evaluating their biocompatibility. Included are several methodologies for tailoring cell adhesion and proliferation on the surface of biodegradable polymers. This book represents a coordinated effort by outstanding international experts, and provides an integrated, forward-looking perspective. By joining together the most active groups in the field, the editors offer a unified approach, representing diverse fields of study, to produce a revolution in regenerative medicine.