Flavio G Rocha1, Edward E Whang. 1. Department of Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Tissue engineering is a rapidly emerging field that combines the established disciplines of engineering, biology, and medicine with the goal of fabricating viable tissues and organs. Although initially targeted for applications in regenerative medicine, a novel application of this technology has been to generate experimental model systems for studying biological mechanisms and testing the efficacy of potential therapies. METHODS: Review and analysis of the literature. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: We present the limitations of existing models and provide examples of how tissue engineering has allowed for the generation of new models that may overcome these limitations.
BACKGROUND: Tissue engineering is a rapidly emerging field that combines the established disciplines of engineering, biology, and medicine with the goal of fabricating viable tissues and organs. Although initially targeted for applications in regenerative medicine, a novel application of this technology has been to generate experimental model systems for studying biological mechanisms and testing the efficacy of potential therapies. METHODS: Review and analysis of the literature. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: We present the limitations of existing models and provide examples of how tissue engineering has allowed for the generation of new models that may overcome these limitations.