Trends in Tissue Regeneration: Bio-Nanomaterials

Abstract

Tissue engineering requires functional platforms or scaffolds with specific properties concerning the morphology, chemistry of the surface and interconnectivity to promote cell adhesion and proliferation. These requisites are not only important for cellular migration but also to supply nutrients and expulsion of waste molecules. Cell type must be considered when designing a specific cellular grown system as a scaffold; for instance, if they are autologous, allogeneic or xenogeneic. The challenge in tissue engineering is to develop an organized three-dimensional architecture with functional characteristics that mimic the extracellular matrix. In this regard, with the advent of nanotechnology scaffolds are now being developed that meet most of the aforementioned requisites. In the present chapter, the use of biopolymers based nanostructures is addressed, including biomaterials and stem cells, bio-nanocomposites, and specific clinical cases where these systems were employed. We emphasize the future challenges and perspectives in the design of biocompatible and nontoxic nanocomposites with high efficiency as a promoter for tissue regeneration and many other biomedical applications.