Tissue engineering bioreactors

The main goal of tissue engineering is the creation of artificial tissue having the ability to repair or simply replace lost or damaged tissue. Common tissue engineering strategies involve the extraction of cells from a small piece of tissue and their in vitro culture for later implantation using a carrier that allows the formation of new tissue (Figure 15.1) [1]. Most approaches in this field are based on common bioactive factors, consisting of cells (generally stem cells, or progenitor cells), a scaffolding material, and growth and differentiation factors [2]. The in vitro creation of an efficient construct can be accelerated by applying certain stimuli that can elicit specific responses to the cells. Stimulation can be done in two major ways: chemically and electro/mechanically.