Technology insight: Applications of tissue engineering and biological substitutes in urology.
Patients suffering from diseased or injured organs may be treated with transplanted organs. However, there is a severe shortage of donor organs, which is worsening yearly owing to the ageing population. Scientists in the field of regenerative medicine and tissue engineering apply the principles of cell transplantation, materials science, and bioengineering to construct biological substitutes that will restore and maintain normal function in diseased and injured tissues. This article reviews recent advances in regenerative medicine and describes applications of biological substitutes that may offer novel therapies for patients with end-stage organ failure.
Atala
Anthony
A
Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, and Department of Urology, Wake Forest University, School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC 27157, USA. aatala@wfubmc.edu
D021522:Bioartificial Organs; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D006801:Humans; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods; D014566:Urogenital System
D001672:Biocompatible Materials