Tissue
Engineering
At a Glance
Tissue engineering is a form of regenerative
medicine that restores, maintains, or improves
the functionality of damaged tissues or whole
organs.
Created by: Rachel Bell
Thesis
Enhancing Medical Procedures
Tissue engineering is a superior field of
regenerative medicine that has the
potential to revolutionize healthcare by
addressing the challenges of organ
transplantation, improving the quality of
life of patients by enhancing current
medical procedures and promoting a
more ethical approach to medical
research. The perceived benefits of
continuing research in this field outweigh
all costs, including any ethical
controversies or potential health
complications that accompany it.
Tissue engineering, combined with biomaterials, has
already demonstrated significant advancements in medical
procedures. Biomaterials, both synthetic and natural,
interact with biological systems to repair or replace
damaged tissues. For example, tissue-engineered skin can
treat burn victims, while a biomaterial scaffold can repair
damaged heart tissue after a heart attack. The integration
of tissue engineering into medicine would allow current
medical procedures to be enhanced, leading to improved
patient outcomes and increased quality of life.
How it Works
Using a combination of engineering and
biology, tissue engineering works to
create functional tissues and organs in
a lab environment. Viable tissues can
be produced by sourcing cells, creating
a scaffold and promoting growth and
differentiation using specific signals.
These lab-created tissues can then be
used to replace or repair damaged
tissues in patients.
Ending Animal Testing
Tissue engineering could mean the end
of inhumane animal testing. With the
capability to create human-like tissues
in a lab environment, they can be used
to test new drugs and medical
procedures without any human trials or
animal testing. This method allows for
the accurate modelling of human
biological systems to develop new
treatments instead of resorting to
inhumane animal testing or the reliance
on people to volunteer to test new
drugs with unknown side effects.
Organ Transplantation
Tissue engineering has the capability to
offer promising solutions to the
challenges we currently face with organ
transplantation. By creating organs and
tissues in a lab environment, this
regenerative medicine works preemptively to repair failing organs
reducing the need for full transplants.
Tissue engineering also offers fewer
limitations on the lifetime of transplanted
organs, as they can be engineered to last
longer and meet specific patient needs.
Not only does tissue engineering reduce
medical costs and the need for donors,
but it has the potential to save
thousands of lives.
Ethical Dillemas
Although there are numerous benefits to
tissue engineering ethical considerations
must be taken into account. The use and
collection of stem cells is a pressing ethical
concern that raises questions about how
tissue engineering threatens the value of
human life. In addition, there are fears that
tissue engineering could edit and change
the human germline which has unknown
ramifications. Controversy related to the
possible exploitation of vulnerable
populations if tissue engineering becomes
profit-driven is another area of concern.
Sources
K. Blum, “Tissue engineering: The future is here,” Johns Hopkins Biomedical Engineering, 21-Jan-2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.bme.jhu.edu/news-events/news/tissue-engineering-the-future-is-here/.
[Accessed: 20-Mar-2023].
“Tissue engineering and regenerative medicine,” National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering. [Online]. Available: https://www.nibib.nih.gov/science-education/science-topics/tissueengineering-and-regenerative-medicine#:~:text=Using%20engineered%20human%20tissue%20in,within%20a%20human%2Dlike%20system. [Accessed: 20-Mar-2023].