Engineering graded tissue interfaces

Abstract

Native tissue interfaces show transitions in cell type, structure, composition, and organization of extracellular matrix, chemical signals, mineralization, mechanical properties, and biological function. In this chapter, we discuss engineering of tissue interfaces, with an emphasis on scaffold design. An ideal scaffold should be able to accommodate transitions in tissue elements in order to transmit the properties of one tissue to another. Regenerative medicine strategies for synthesizing tissue interfaces are reviewed, including the generation of continuous physical and chemical gradients for the formation of strong attachments. We highlight the importance of the scaffold for directing cellular behavior to form an interface similar to native tissue.