Mechanobiology and Applications in Biomaterials for Soft Tissue Repair and Regeneration

Abstract

Tissue repair and regeneration has an ultimate goal of fully restoring architecture and functions of damaged or diseased tissues, however, the demands are largely unmet with current technologies. Mechanobiology is an emerging field focusing on how physical forces and mechanical properties of cells and tissues contribute to development, physiology, and diseases. Therefore, it is promising to apply insights from mechanobiology to improve the clinical outcomes of tissue repair and regeneration since many tissues are mechanically active in vivo, generating or bearing continuous or cyclical loadings. Resorbable biomaterials and engineered tissues are designed with the aim of promoting new healthy tissue formation. They not only provide mechanical supports for cell and growth factor delivery, but also can help and guide tissue repair and regeneration through extensive interactions between cells, extracelluar matrix, biochemical and biomechanical environments. In this article we discuss the essential concepts in mechanobiology, the state of the art in its application in tissue repair and regeneration, and future directions in computational aided design of next generation biomaterials.