Current Translational Challenges for Tissue Engineering: 3D Culture, Nanotechnology, and Decellularized Matrices

Tissue engineering and regenerative medicine aim to alleviate the gaps in clinical treatment options for addressing critical defect disorders otherwise left untreated. Ongoing attempts to translate research findings to clinical applications have progressed slower than expected but continue to evolve within the three key areas of cells, signals, and scaffolds. Within these areas, approaches have developed that are evolving our clinical options for addressing disorders as well as improving high-throughout screening techniques to optimize our therapeutic options in tomorrow’s clinic. Such approaches include, but are not limited to, selecting the proper cell sources, engineering artificial and natural biomaterial substrates, bioprinting, microfluidic platforms, and whole organ matrices. Here we review recent advancements in these areas as to better understand where the field is headed.