Micro/Nano Systems for Biological Tissue Engineering

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, the quest for effective solutions to engineer biological tissues and improve tissue regeneration has dramatically intensified. In this regard, nano- and micromaterials provide exciting key enabling technologies. On the one hand, microsystems bridge the gap between the macro- and the nanoworlds by integrating different dimensional scales in the optimization of the substrates used for cell growth (scaffolds). On the other hand, nanosystems are optimally sized to interact with cells or subcellular structures, allowing for the fine control of their behavior.

Various classes of nano- or microdesigned materials can sustain and improve tissue regeneration, including polymers and inorganic materials, such as metallic, ceramic, and carbon allotrope particles. Nano and microsystems can be combined with biomaterials to mediate topographical, chemical, or electrical cues within composite scaffolds. Moreover, they can display antibacterial activity, shape memory abilities, and regulate cell growth pathways, which greatly enhance the scaffold functionality. Responding to internal or external triggers (such as enzymes, redox, pH, temperature, light, magnetism, or ultrasounds), “intelligent” materials can release various bioactive molecules on demand to support the biological functions of regenerative cells (e.g., differentiation, proliferation, paracrine activity). Finally, moving within confined spaces down to cellular level, micro- and nanorobots can participate in tissue formation and perform in situ release of cells and drugs for regeneration. Thus far, these technologies have improved stem cell engraftment, scaffold stability, osteogenic commitment of cells for bone tissue repair, electrical conductivity in nerve and cardiac regeneration, engineering of vascular substitutes, adhesion strength in tissue approximation, and bactericide barriers in wound dressings.

As such, the present Special Issue seeks to showcase research papers, short communications, and review articles that report on the exceptional abilities of micro- and nanoscaled materials to promote the generation and repair of biological tissues.

Dr. Miriam Filippi
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Micromachines is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• microparticles
• nanoparticles
• nanomaterials
• tissue engineering
• tissue regeneration
• stem cells
• drug delivery
• tissue repair
• microrobots
• scaffold