The Potential Tissues and Their Properties

Tissue engineering represents one of the most investigated biomedical fields, as the use of a combination of cells, engineering and materials methods, and suitable biochemical and physicochemical factors to improve or replace biological tissues. The development of biological substitutes that restore, maintain, or improve tissue function could significantly improve the life quality of numerous patients affected by diseases and yet untreatable health conditions. In recent years, numerous studies have reported the production of specialized materials able to pamper tissue engineering and to allow the development of novel therapeutic approaches for regenerative medicine. In order to precisely control of the scaffolds architecture like size, shape, inter connectivity, branching, geometry, and orientation to mimic the desired tissues, the need for knowledge of tissue properties remains essential so that each may be used with maximum understanding the properties of tissue and to greatest advantage. This chapter presents an overview of the biochemical and physical properties of main hard and soft tissues, including bones, teeth, cartilages, blood vessels, liver, nerves, tendons, and ligaments. For each case, the properties which are used to describe the tissue are reviewed, with emphasis being placed on their classification, structure, functions, and related diseases. Subsequently, tissue engineering concerning each tissue are also included. Intended as a broad-ranging reference, this chapter gives the bioengineer, physicist, or physiologist access to a literature which may not be known in detail. It will also be of value for those concerned with the study of tissue engineering.