Tissue engineering with biodegradable polymer matrices

The therapies of organ transplantation and tissue reconstruction are limited by the availability of tissues suitable for transplantation. A promising approach to bypass this shortage of tissue is to engineer new tissues from cultured cells. However, synthetic matrices must be fabricated to deliver cells, create potential space for tissue development, and guide the process of tissue formation. The author has investigated the potential of highly porous scaffolds fabricated from biodegradable polymers as tissue engineering matrices. Highly porous sponges have been fabricated from polymers of lactic and glycolic acid utilizing both particulate leaching technique and high pressure CO/sub 2/ gas foaming. The porosity and pore structure of sponges formed with both techniques can be regulated by the processing parameters. These sponges have been utilized to transplant hepatocytes, and engineer new liver-like tissues in experimental animals.