Regenerative pharmacology: the future is now.

Regenerative medicine technologies cross the boundaries of numerous scientific fields, including cell and molecular biology, chemical and material sciences (i.e., nanotechnology), engineering, molecular genetics, physiology and pharmacology. As such, regenerative medicine truly represents an integrative and logical (r)evolution of medical science. This groundbreaking field of research has the potential to radically alter the treatment of diseases or disorders characterized by the lack of viable cells or tissues. The goal of this report is to review the current challenges and opportunities in the emerging field of regenerative medicine and to describe the role of the pharmacological sciences in the acceleration, optimization, and evaluation of engineered tissue function in the service of regenerative medicine technologies.