Tissue engineering is a process that uses novel biomaterials seeded with stem cells to grow and replace missing tissues. When certain types of materials are used,the "scaffolds" that are created to hold stem cells eventually degrade, leaving natural tissue in its site. The challenge is creating enough of the material on a scale that clinicians need to treat patients. Elizabeth Loboa, or dean of the MU College of Engineering,and her team recently tested unique methods to originate the process of tissue engineering more cost effective and producible in larger quantities. Tissues could help patients suffering from wounds caused by diabetes and circulation disorders, patients in need of cartilage or bone repair and to women who gain had mastectomies by replacing their breast tissue.
Source: phys.org