Soft Tissue Engineering

Abstract This chapter focuses on the principles of soft tissue engineering, a growing field that encompasses many subsets of tissue types. The overall goal of soft tissue engineering is to facilitate functional tissue regeneration and provide relevant tissue models. Native soft tissue properties and the types of biomaterials used to mimic these properties are discussed, including synthetic polymers, natural polymers, and decellularized tissues. Biomaterial design, engineering challenges, and emerging technologies are explored in further detail for adipose, gastrointestinal, and skin tissue engineering.