Millions of patients suffer from end-stage organ failure or tissue loss annually, and the only solution might be organ and/or tissue transplantation. To avoid poor biocompatibility–related problems and donor organ shortage, however, around 20 years ago a new, hybridized method combining cells and biomaterials was introduced as an alternative to whole-organ and tissue transplantation for diseased, failing, or malfunctioning organs—regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. This handbook focuses on all aspects of intelligent scaffolds, from basic science to industry to clinical applications. Its 10 parts, illustrated throughout with excellent figures, cover stem cell engineering research, drug delivery systems, nanomaterials and nanodevices, and novel and natural biomaterials. The book can be used by advanced undergraduate- and graduate-level students of stem cell and tissue engineering and researchers in macromolecular science, ceramics, metals for biomaterials, nanotechnology, chemistry, biology, and medicine, especially those interested in tissue engineering, stem cell engineering, and regenerative medicine.

This book reviews the current knowledge on tunable hydrogels, including the range of different materials and applications, as well as the existing challenges and limitations in the field. It covers various aspects of the material design, particularly highlighting biological responsiveness, degradability and responsiveness to external stimuli. In this book, readers will discover original research data and state-of-the-art reviews in the area of hydrogel technology, with a specific focus on biotechnology and medicine. Written by leading experts, the contributions outline strategies for designing tunable hydrogels and offer a detailed evaluation of the physical and synthetic methods currently employed to achieve specific hydrogel properties and responsiveness. This highly informative book provides important theoretical and practical insights for scholars and researchers working with hydrogels for biomedical and biotechnological applications.

Hydrogels for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine: From Fundaments to Applications provides the reader with a comprehensive, concise and thoroughly up-to-date resource on the different types of hydrogels in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. The book is divided into three main sections that describe biological activities and the structural and physicochemical properties of hydrogels, along with a wide range of applications, including their combination with emerging technologies. Written by a diverse range of international academics for professionals, researchers, undergraduate and graduate students, this groundbreaking publication fills a gap in literature needed in the tissue engineering and regenerative medicine field. - Reviews the fundamentals and recent advances of hydrogels in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine applications - Presents state-of-the-art methodologies for the synthesis and processing of different types of hydrogels - Includes contributions by leading experts in engineering, the life sciences, microbiology and clinical medicine

Hydrogels are networks of polymer chains which can produce a colloidal gel containing over 99 per cent water. The superabsorbency and permeability of naturally occurring and synthetic hydrogels give this class of materials an amazing array of uses. These uses range from wound dressings and skin grafts to oxygen-permeable contact lenses to biodegradable delivery systems for drugs or pesticides and scaffolds for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Biomedical Applications of Hydrogels Handbook provides a comprehensive description of this diverse class of materials, covering both synthesis and properties and a broad range of research and commercial applications. The Handbook is divided into four sections: Stimuli-Sensitive Hydrogels, Hydrogels for Drug Delivery, Hydrogels for Tissue Engineering, and Hydrogels with Unique Properties. Key Features: Provides comprehensive coverage of the basic science and applications of a diverse class of materials Includes both naturally occurring and synthetic hydrogels Edited and written by world leaders in the field.

This book provides comprehensive coverage of smart biomaterials and their potential applications, a field that is developing at a very rapid pace. Because smart biomaterials are an emerging class of biomaterials that respond to small changes in external stimuli with large discontinuous changes in their physical properties, they have been designed to act as an “on–off” switch for, among others, bio separation, immunoanalysis, drug delivery technologies, gene therapy, diagnostics, bio sensors and artificial muscles. After an introduction to the topic and the history of smart biomaterials, the author gives the reader an in-depth look at the properties, mechanics, and characterization of smart biomaterials including hydrogels, particles, assemblies, surfaces, fibers and conjugates. Information on the wide range of applications for these materials follows, including drug delivery, tissue engineering, diagnostics, biosensors, bio separation and actuators. In addition, recent advances in shape memory biomaterials as active components of medical devices are also presented.

Conventional materials technology has yielded clear improvements in regenerative medicine. Ideally, however, a replacement material should mimic the living tissue mechanically, chemically, biologically and functionally. The use of tissue-engineered products based on novel biodegradable polymeric systems will lead to dramatic improvements in health