title: The tissue-engineered auricle: past, present, and future.
abstract: The reconstruction, repair, and regeneration of the external auricular framework continue to be one of the greatest challenges in the field of tissue engineering. To replace like with like, we should emulate the native structure and composition of auricular cartilage by combining a suitable chondrogenic cell source with an appropriate scaffold under optimal in vitro and in vivo conditions. Due to the fact that a suitable and reliable substitute for auricular cartilage has yet to be engineered, hand-carved autologous costal cartilage grafts and ear-shaped porous polyethylene implants are the current treatment modalities for auricular reconstruction. However, over the last decade, significant advances have been made in the field of regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. A variety of scaffolds and innovative approaches have been investigated as alternatives to using autologous carved costal cartilage or porous polyethylene implants. A review of recent developments and the current state of the art and science is presented, focusing on scaffolds, cell sources, seeding densities, and mechanical characteristics of tissue-engineered auricular cartilage.
authors.affiliation: Plastic Surgery Research Laboratory, Division of Plastic Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, USA.
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Bichara
authors.forename: Niamh-Anna
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: O'Sullivan
authors.forename: Irina
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pomerantseva
authors.forename: Xing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Cathryn A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Sundback
authors.forename: Joseph P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Vacanti
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Randolph
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena / Q000502:physiology; D002452:Cell Count; D054644:Ear Auricle / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends*; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry