Synthesis and microfabrication of biomaterials for soft-tissue engineering

Bettinger, Christopher J.

doi:10.1351/PAC-CON-09-07-10

Pure Appl. Chem., 2009, Vol. 81, No. 12, pp. 2183-2201

http://dx.doi.org/10.1351/PAC-CON-09-07-10

Published online 2009-10-31

Synthesis and microfabrication of biomaterials for soft-tissue engineering*

Christopher J. Bettinger

Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, 381 North-South Axis, Room 113, Stanford, CA 94305-5025, USA

Abstract: Biomaterials synthesis and scaffold fabrication will play an increasingly important role in the design of systems for regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. These rapidly growing fields are converging as scaffold design must begin to incorporate multidisciplinary aspects in order to effectively organize cell-seeded constructs into functional tissue. This review article examines the use of synthetic biomaterials and fabrication strategies across length scales with the ultimate goal of guiding cell function and directing tissue formation. This discussion is parsed into three subsections: (1) biomaterials synthesis, including elastomers and gels; (2) synthetic micro- and nanostructures for engineering the cell–biomaterial interface; and (3) complex biomaterials systems design for controlling aspects of the cellular microenvironment.

*Pure Appl. Chem. 81, 2157-2251 (2009). A collection of invited, peer-reviewed articles by the winners of the 2009 IUPAC Prize for Young Chemists.