Biological and Synthetic Membranes for Tissue Regeneration/Repair

Dear colleagues,

Conventional treatment for tissue defects includes autograft, allograft, or xenograft tissue transplantation. Although these surgeries have still their place in the therapeutic arsenal, natural and synthetic biocompatible scaffolds have been developed to imitate the originate environment of cells, called extracellular matrix (ECM), which supports and stimulates proliferation and organization.

ECM-based biomaterials are derived from decellularized tissues and have been extensively explored for in situ tissue regeneration because of their similarity with native tissue ECM. Similarly, natural polymers, derived from polysaccharides and proteins, have excellent biodegradable and biocompatible properties, as well as other features mimicking the ECM. However, their relatively poor mechanical properties limit their applications in anatomical sites with mechanical requirement, such as hard tissue regeneration. Thus, they are often combined with synthetic polymers.

Synthetic biomaterials are based on degradable synthetic polymers and are fabricated using various assembly approaches to produce structures with enhanced physical and mechanical properties such as stiffness, degradation, and porosity. One of the advantages of using synthetic biomaterials is the ability to produce patient-specific scaffolds to match the target anatomy as well as fit the required physical and chemical properties of the injured tissue. Synthetic polymers have no immunological concerns and a high degree of processing flexibility, allowing to program their biodegradation rate, mechanical properties, and microstructure. Additionally, non-resorbable membranes have shown variable results with, however, adequate biocompatibility and space-making capacity.

This Special Issue will focus on membranes with barrier or guided tissue regeneration functions, but also as bioactive compartments. Used as cover or conduit, membranes could have i) a biological origin, including autograft, induced membrane, allograft or xenograft (with or without decellularization process) engineered membrane; or ii) a synthetic origin including resorbable and not resorbable membranes. Experimental and/or clinical approaches will be addressed, as well as membranes used as a scaffold for bioprinting purposes.

Dr. Florelle Gindraux
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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