Abstract
Recent research in the vaccine and immunotherapy fields has revealed that biomaterials have the ability to activate immune pathways, even in the absence of other immune‐stimulating signals. Intriguingly, new studies reveal these responses are influenced by the physicochemical properties of the material. Nearly all of this work has been done in the vaccine and immunotherapy fields, but there is tremendous opportunity to apply this same knowledge to tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. This review discusses recent findings that reveal how material properties—size, shape, chemical functionality—impact immune response, and links these changes to emerging opportunities in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. We begin by discussing what has been learned from studies conducted in the contexts of vaccines and immunotherapies. Next, research is highlighted that elucidates the properties of materials that polarize innate immune cells, including macrophages and dendritic cells, toward either inflammatory or wound healing phenotypes. We also discuss recent studies demonstrating that scaffolds used in tissue engineering applications can influence cells of the adaptive immune system—B and T cell lymphocytes—to promote regenerative tissue microenvironments. Through greater study of the intrinsic immunogenic features of implantable materials and scaffolds, new translational opportunities will arise to better control tissue engineering and regenerative medicine applications.
Highlights
Biomaterials have enabled advances in fields spanning tissue engineering, drug delivery, vaccination and immunotherapies, and implantable devices
While the majority of research in tissue engineering has focused on the innate immune cells that play a major role in both regeneration and in scaffold failure, this study reveals the need for more work elucidating the role that adaptive immune cells play in promoting or inhibiting tissue repair
This work has already shown physicochemical features alter the immunogenicity of biomaterials and is helping to inform the design of better materials that actively drive immune response toward a desired outcome
Summary
Biomaterials have enabled advances in fields spanning tissue engineering, drug delivery, vaccination and immunotherapies, and implantable devices.
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