Polymers in Regenerative Medicine: Biomedical Applications from Nano- to Macro-Structures -- Copyright -- Contents -- Preface -- Contributors -- Part A Methods for Synthetic Extracellular Matrices and Scaffolds -- Chapter 1 Polymers as Materials for Tissue Engineering Scaffolds -- 1.1 The Requirements Imposed by Application on Material Structures Intended as Tissue Engineering Scaffolds -- 1.2 Composition and Function -- 1.2.1 General Considerations -- 1.2.2 Some Families of Polymers for Tissue Engineering Scaffolds -- 1.2.3 Composite Scaffold Matrices -- 1.3 Structure and Function -- 1.3.1 General Considerations -- 1.3.2 Structuring Polymer Matrices -- 1.4 Properties of Scaffolds Relevant for Tissue Engineering Applications -- 1.4.1 Porous Architecture -- 1.4.2 Solid State Properties: Glass Transition, Crystallinity -- 1.4.3 Mechanical and Structural Properties -- 1.4.4 Swelling Properties -- 1.4.5 Degradation Properties -- 1.4.6 Diffusion and Permeation -- 1.4.7 Surface Tension and Contact Angle -- 1.4.8 Biological Properties -- 1.5 Compound, Multicomponent Constructs -- 1.5.1 Scaffold-Cum-Gel Constructs -- 1.5.2 Scaffolds and Membranes Containing Microparticles -- 1.5.3 Other Multicomponent Scaffold Constructs -- 1.6 Questions Arising from Manipulation and Final Use -- 1.6.1 Sterilization -- 1.6.2 Cell Seeding, Cell Culture, Analysis -- 1.6.3 In the Surgeon's Hands -- Acknowledgments -- References -- Chapter 2 Natural-Based and Stimuli-Responsive Polymers for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine -- 2.1 Introduction -- 2.2 Natural Polymers and Their Application in TE & RM -- 2.2.1 Polysaccharides -- 2.2.2 Protein-Based Polymers -- 2.2.3 Polyesters -- 2.3 Natural Polymers in Stimuli-Responsive Systems -- 2.3.1 pH-Sensitive Natural Polymers -- 2.3.2 Temperature Sensitive Natural Polymers.

2.3.3 Natural Polymers Modified to Show Thermoresponsive Behavior-Modifying Responsive Polymers and Agents -- 2.3.4 Light-Sensitive Polymers-Potential Use of Azobenzene/α-Cyclodextrin Inclusion Complexes -- 2.4 Conclusions -- Acknowledgments -- References -- Chapter 3 Matrix Protein Interactions with Synthetic Surfaces -- 3.1 Introduction -- 3.2 Protein Adsorption -- 3.2.1 Cell Adhesion Proteins -- 3.2.2 Experimental Techniques to Follow Protein Adsorption -- 3.2.3 Effect of Surface Properties on Protein Adsorption -- 3.3 Cell Adhesion -- 3.3.1 Experimental Techniques to Characterize Cell Adhesion -- 3.3.2 Cell Adhesion at Cell-Material Interface -- 3.4 Remodeling of the Adsorbed Proteins -- 3.4.1 Protein Reorganization and Secretion at the Cell-Material Interface -- 3.4.2 Proteolytic Remodeling at Cell-Materials Interface -- Acknowledgments -- References -- Chapter 4 Focal Adhesion Kinase in Cell-Material Interactions -- 4.1 Introduction -- 4.2 Role of FAK in Cell Proliferation -- 4.3 Role of FAK in Migratory and Mechanosensing Responses -- 4.4 Role of FAK in the Generation of Adhesives Forces -- 4.5 Influence of Material Surface Properties on FAK Signaling -- 4.5.1 Effect of Mechanical Properties on FAK Signaling -- 4.5.2 Effect of Surface Topography on FAK Signaling -- 4.5.3 Effect of Surface Chemistry on FAK Signaling -- 4.5.4 Effect of Surface Functionalization in FAK Expression -- Acknowledgments -- References -- Chapter 5 Complex Cell-Materials Microenvironments in Bioreactors -- 5.1 Introduction -- 5.2 Cell-ECM Interactions -- 5.2.1 ECM Chemistry -- 5.2.2 ECM Topography -- 5.2.3 ECM Mechanical Properties -- 5.2.4 ECM 3D Structure -- 5.2.5 ECM-Induced Mechanical Stimuli -- 5.3 Cell-Nutrient Medium -- 5.3.1 Composition and Volume-Related Phenomena -- 5.3.2 Mechanical Stresses Induced by Nutrient Medium -- 5.4 Other Aspects of Interaction.

5.4.1 Co-Culture Systems -- 5.4.2 Material Interactions -- 5.5 Conclusions -- References -- Part B Nanostructures for Tissue Engineering -- Chapter 6 Self-Curing Systems for Regenerative Medicine -- 6.1 Introduction -- 6.2 Self-Curing Systems for Hard Tissue Regeneration -- 6.2.1 Antimicrobial Self-Curing Formulations -- 6.2.2 Self-Curing Formulations for Osteoporotic Bone -- 6.2.3 Antineoplastic Drug-Loaded Self-Curing Formulations -- 6.2.4 Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug-Loaded Formulations -- 6.2.5 Self-Curing Formulations with Biodegradable Components -- 6.3 Self-Curing Hydrogels for Soft Tissue Regeneration -- 6.3.1 Chemically Cross-Linked Hydrogels -- 6.3.2 Chemically and Physically Cross-Linked Hydrogels -- 6.4 Expectative and Future Directions -- References -- Chapter 7 Self-Assembling Peptides as Synthetic Extracellular Matrices -- 7.1 Introduction -- 7.2 In Vitro Applications -- 7.3 In Vivo Applications -- References -- Chapter 8 Polymer Therapeutics as Nano-Sized Medicines for Tissue Regeneration and Repair -- 8.1 Polymer Therapeutics as Nano-Sized Medicines -- 8.1.1 The Concept and Biological Rationale behind Polymer Therapeutics -- 8.1.2 Current Status and Future Trends -- 8.2 Polymer Therapeutics for Tissue Regeneration and Repair -- 8.2.1 Ischemia/Reperfusion Injuries -- 8.2.2 Wound Healing/Repair -- 8.2.3 Musculoskeletal Disorders -- 8.2.4 Diseases of the Central Nervous System -- 8.3 Conclusions and Future Perspectives -- References -- Chapter 9 How Regenerative Medicine Can Benefit from Nucleic Acids Delivery Nanocarriers? -- 9.1 Introduction -- 9.1.1 Learning from Viruses: How to Overcome Cellular Barriers -- 9.2 Nanotechnology in Gene Delivery -- 9.2.1 Lipid Nanocarriers -- 9.2.2 Polymeric Nanocarriers -- 9.2.3 Inorganic Nanoparticles -- 9.3 Nanotechnology in Regenerative Medicine -- 9.3.1 Bone Regeneration.

9.3.2 Cartilage Regeneration -- 9.3.3 Tendon Regeneration -- 9.3.4 Myocardium Regeneration -- 9.3.5 Neurological Tissue -- 9.4 Conclusions -- Acknowledgments -- References -- Chapter 10 Functionalized Mesoporous Materials with Gate-Like Scaffoldings for Controlled Delivery -- 10.1 Introduction -- 10.2 Mesoporous Silica Materials with Gate-Like Scaffoldings -- 10.2.1 Controlled Delivery by pH Changes -- 10.2.2 Controlled Delivery Using Redox Reactions -- 10.2.3 Controlled Delivery Using Photochemical Reactions -- 10.2.4 Controlled Delivery via Temperature Changes -- 10.2.5 Controlled Delivery Using Small Molecules -- 10.2.6 Controlled Delivery Using Biomolecules -- 10.3 Concluding Remarks -- References -- Chapter 11 Where Are We Going? Future Trends and Challenges -- 11.1 Introduction -- 11.2 Classification of Biomaterials in Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine -- 11.2.1 Naturally Derived Materials -- 11.2.2 Biodegradable Synthetic Polymers -- 11.2.3 Tissue Matrices -- 11.3 Basic Principles of Biomaterials in Tissue Engineering -- 11.4 Development of Smart Biomaterials -- 11.5 Scaffold Fabrication Technologies -- 11.5.1 Injectable Hydrogels -- 11.5.2 Electrospinning -- 11.5.3 Computer-Aided Scaffold Fabrication -- 11.5.4 Functionalization of Tissue-Engineered Biomaterial Scaffolds -- 11.6 Summary and Future Directions -- Acknowledgments -- References -- Index -- Supplemental Images -- End User License Agreement.