Skeletal Tissue Engineering

Abstract Skeletal defects impose a significant burden on the US healthcare system. Current approaches to reconstructing osseous defects include the use of autogenous, allogeneic, or synthetic grafts, each with its inherent inadequacies. Skeletal tissue engineering offers a promising alternative for addressing bony defects. This chapter will begin with a discussion on distraction osteogenesis, an endogenous form of skeletal tissue engineering, and the molecular lessons gleaned from it. We will then focus attention on osteogenic cytokines available for enhancement of skeletal tissue regeneration, including bone morphogenetic proteins (BMP), TGF-β1, fibroblast growth factors (FGF), IGF, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). This chapter will also discuss therapeutic cell types and strategies for application including bone marrow and adipose-derived mesenchymal cells and induced pluripotent stem cells. Finally, we will review scaffold advancements for cellular delivery, including the incorporation of cytokines within matrices and the influence of nanotechnology.