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Repair and regeneration of human tissues and organs using biomaterials, cells, and/or growth factors is a great challenge for tissue engineers and surgeons. The convergence of advanced materials science, nanotechnology, stem cell science, and developmental biology, which we define as Regenerative Engineering, represents the next multidisciplinary paradigm to engineer complex tissues. One of the grand challenges in this field is to mimic closely the hierarchical architecture and properties of the extracellular matrices (ECM) of the native tissues. A bio-inspired approach to creating biomaterials with nanoscale topographical features, micro- and macroscale gradient structures, and biological domains to interact with target growth factors and cells is key to overcoming this challenge for successful tissue regeneration. Furthermore, the healing and repair of diseased musculoskeletal tissues rely on many signaling pathways, involving numerous growth factors and their receptors. Thus, pharmacological manipulation of the signaling pathways with bioactive molecules is an important component of tissue regeneration. This review summarizes current strategies to develop advanced nanofibrous polymer-based scaffolds via electrospinning, their applications in regenerating human musculoskeletal tissues, and the use of polymer nanofibers to deliver growth factors or small molecules for regenerative medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bone scientists are actively investigating a range of methods to promote skeletal tissue regeneration. A review of recent literature has revealed that several ions are uniquely capable of inducing stem cell differentiation down desired lineages. There exists enormous promise for these ions to be used in bone regenerative medicine. Given that these ions can be released from biodegradable polymeric materials, their long-term delivery can be achieved through a variety of controlled-release strategies compared with the relatively few options available for expensive and fragile polypeptide-based growth factors. In this review, we highlight the developments in using ions in conjunction with biomaterials for bone regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With greater than 500,000 orthopaedic procedures performed in the United States each year requiring a bone graft, the development of novel graft materials is necessary. We report that some porous polymer/ceramic composite scaffolds possess intrinsic osteoinductivity as shown through their capacity to induce in vivo host osteoid mineralization and in vitro stem cell osteogenesis making them attractive synthetic bone graft substitutes. It was discovered that certain low crystallinity ceramics partially dissociate into simple signaling molecules (i.e., calcium and phosphate ions) that induce stem cells to endogenously produce their own osteoinductive proteins. Review of the literature has uncovered a variety of simple signaling molecules (i.e., gases, ions, and redox reagents) capable of inducing other desirable stem cell differentiation through endogenous growth factor production. Inductive simple signaling molecules, which we have termed inducerons, represent a paradigm shift in the field of regenerative engineering where they can be utilized in place of recombinant protein growth factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]