(158a) Nanotechnology to Benefit Tissue Engineering

Nanotechnology is the creation and use of materials with at least one dimension less than 100 nm that possess special properties compared to conventional materials. Conventional materials are those with constituent dimensions greater than 100 nm. While nanotechnology has begun to revolutionize numerous fields (including catalysis, building constructs, space exploration, computer science), the benefits of nanotechnology in tissue engineering is showing some promise, although it still remains largely uninvestigated to date. This tutorial will cover the recent advances that have been made when incorporating nanotechnology into tissue engineering. It will emphasize efforts aimed at improving orthopedic, cartilage, vascular, bladder, and nervous system tissue regeneration through the use of either nanophase ceramics, metals, polymers or composites thereof. It this manner, this tutorial will highlight the promise nanotechnology has for regrowing tissues important for a number of organs.