Advances in polymer-based biomaterials for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine

Regenerative medicine and tissue engineering strategies typically focus on regenerating, healing, or replacing damaged tissues and organs with support materials that can provide the means necessary to facilitate regeneration. Synthetic materials commonly used to fabricate scaffolds, implants, and other structures include metals, ceramics, polymers, and combinations thereof. Natural and bio-based materials such as biopolymers, biofilters and biomolecules are also used for these applications, often in combination with synthetic materials. Among these materials, the advantages of (bio)polymers lie in the mechanical mimicry of soft tissues, ease of processing, high degree of tunability and, if necessary, biodegradability. Polymer-based biomaterials are used throughout the human body as bone scaffolds, cartilage repair materials, vascular repair devices, nerve conduits, stents, and wound dressings. To successfully use these materials in clinical practice, their manufacturing method and final mechanical and biological properties must be carefully and repeatedly considered. Various synthesis and processing techniques can be used to produce polymer-based biomaterials. Depending on the strategy used, the final structure and properties of the biomaterial will vary significantly, which is also one of the advantages of using (bio)polymer materials for this purpose.

This Research Topic aims to explore recent advances in polymer-based biomaterials research, emphasizing the mechanical properties of the final structures and their biological behavior. The mechanical behavior of biomaterials is crucial for their successful transfer because the properties of the materials must match those of the tissues of interest and the materials must provide stabilization and even, if necessary, load-bearing capacity. Performance-changing techniques such as the synthesis of specialized systems, amplification strategies, processing methods and their parameters, including additive manufacturing, as well as various post-processing, biomaterial behavior at the cellular level and implantation in animal models, related biomechanical research – all will cover a wide range of cutting-edge research in this field.

To gather further information on the fabrication, mechanical properties and biological behavior of polymeric biomaterials, please refer to articles covering, among others, the following topics:

– Polymer-based biomaterials for various biomedical applications including tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, wound healing, orthopedic and dental applications, angiogenesis and others

– Stimuli-responsive polymers for shape-memory or shape-changing scaffolds and implants

– Biodegradable polymer-based biomaterials

– Mechanical and fatigue behavior of polymer-based medical devices and scaffolds

– Additive production, including bioprinting, of polymer-based biomaterials

– Biocomposites and nanocomposites based on polymers for biomedical applications

– Polysaccharide-based hydrogels and other types of hydrogels for chronic wound healing

– Pro-angiogenic materials for vascular tissue engineering

– Multifunctional and multistructural biomaterials with improved mechanical properties regulating cell behavior

Types of manuscripts accepted: Original Research, Review, Systematic Review, Mini-Review, Hypotheses and Theory, Perspective, Opinion and Perspectives

Keywords: polymers, biomaterials, scaffolds, implants, soft materials, biocomposites

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they were submitted, as defined in their mission statement. Frontiers reserves the right to refer an out-of-scope manuscript to a more appropriate section or journal at any stage of review.

Regenerative medicine and tissue engineering strategies typically focus on regenerating, healing, or replacing damaged tissues and organs with support materials that can provide the means necessary to facilitate regeneration. Synthetic materials commonly used to fabricate scaffolds, implants, and other structures include metals, ceramics, polymers, and combinations thereof. Natural and bio-based materials such as biopolymers, biofilters and biomolecules are also used for these applications, often in combination with synthetic materials. Among these materials, the advantages of (bio)polymers lie in the mechanical mimicry of soft tissues, ease of processing, high degree of tunability and, if necessary, biodegradability. Polymer-based biomaterials are used throughout the human body as bone scaffolds, cartilage repair materials, vascular repair devices, nerve conduits, stents, and wound dressings. To successfully apply these materials in clinical practice, their manufacturing method and final mechanical and biological properties must be carefully and repeatedly considered. Various synthesis and processing techniques can be used to produce polymer-based biomaterials. Depending on the strategy used, the final structure and properties of the biomaterial will vary significantly, which is also one of the advantages of using (bio)polymer materials for this purpose.

This Research Topic aims to explore recent advances in polymer-based biomaterials research, emphasizing the mechanical properties of the final structures and their biological behavior. The mechanical behavior of biomaterials is crucial to their successful transfer because the properties of the materials must match those of the tissues of interest and the materials must provide stabilization and even load-bearing capacity, if necessary. Performance-changing techniques such as the synthesis of specialized systems, amplification strategies, processing methods and their parameters, including additive manufacturing, as well as various post-processing, biomaterial behavior at the cellular level and implantation in animal models, related biomechanical research – all will cover a wide range of cutting-edge research in this field.