title: Skeletal tissue engineering: opportunities and challenges.
abstract: Tissue engineering is a field of biomedicine that is growing rapidly and is critically driven by scientific advances in the areas of developmental and cell biology and biomaterial sciences. Regeneration of skeletal tissues is among the most promising areas of biological tissue repair and is providing a broad spectrum of potential clinical applications, including joint resurfacing. The availability of novel tools such as pluripotent stem cells, morphogens, smart biomaterials and gene transfer technologies, makes us dream of many exciting novel therapeutic approaches. Despite these opportunities in regenerative medicine, good clinical practice requires the clinician to question the consistency, reproducibility, validation and appropriate regulation of these new biological treatments.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Skeletal Development and Joint Disorders, Onderwijs & Navorsing, Department of Rheumatology, University Hospitals, Herestraat 49, KU, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: F P
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Luyten
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dell'Accio
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: De Bari
mesh_terms: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D001698:Biomedical Engineering / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D001861:Bone Regeneration; D016025:Bone Transplantation; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000502:physiology*; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000502:physiology* / Q000601:surgery; D015316:Genetic Therapy; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D009985:Orthopedics / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000628:therapy; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials