title: Scaffolds for hand tissue engineering: the importance of surface topography.
abstract: Tissue engineering is believed to have great potential for the reconstruction of the hand after trauma, congenital absence and tumours. Due to the presence of multiple distinct tissue types, which together function in a precisely orchestrated fashion, the hand counts among the most complex structures to regenerate. As yet the achievements have been limited. More recently, the focus has shifted towards scaffolds, which provide a three-dimensional framework to mimic the natural extracellular environment for specific cell types. In particular their surface structures (or topographies) have become a key research focus to enhance tissue-specific cell attachment and growth into fully functioning units. This article reviews the current understanding in hand tissue engineering before focusing on the potential for scaffold topographical features on micro- and nanometre scales to achieve better functional regeneration of individual and composite tissues.
authors.affiliation: UCL School of Life and Medical Sciences, University College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kloczko
authors.affiliation: The Queen Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead, UK.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nikkhah
authors.affiliation: Centre for Nanotechnology & Regenerative Medicine, UCL Division of Surgery & Interventional Science, University College London, London, UK Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Royal Free Hospital Hampstead NHS Trust, London, UK e.yildirimer@ucl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yildirimer
mesh_terms: D019149:Bioreactors; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000166:cytology; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000166:cytology; D002356:Cartilage / Q000166:cytology; D006225:Hand / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D049329:Nanostructures; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000166:cytology; D012038:Regeneration; D012867:Skin / Q000166:cytology; D013499:Surface Properties; D013710:Tendons / Q000166:cytology; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds
keywords: Hand tissue engineering; biomaterial scaffolds; clinical translation; stem cells; surface micro-/nano-structures