Opis
O knjizi:
This book is published in association with Springer, Germany. Cell and tissue engineering are multidisciplinary fields with two primary goals: understanding fundamental principles of cell and tissue structure and function, and development of new therapeutic options to address the clinical problem of tissue failure. Over the past two decades there was a tremendous progress in these fields based on advances in molecular biology, biochemistry, medicine and pharmacy as well as in material science and engineering disciplines. Due to the large volume of literature published in these fields, there is a need for apt organization of acquired knowledge to provide resources and assistance for different audiences.The book Cell and Tissue Engineering was inspired by the talks presented at the International Summer School in Cell and Tissue Engineering held at the Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy, University of Belgrade, July 1-8, 2006. Graduate students of engineering and life sciences from many different countries were introduced to the principals and new approaches in cell and tissue engineering. The book contains selected lectures presented at the School, adapted to include both the fundamentals and the current trends in cell and tissue engineering, in a way useful both to a novice and an expert in the field. We expect that it will also be used as a textbook or complementary reading in biomedical engineering courses. The book is composed of 13 chapters all of which are written by the leading experts. It is organized to gradually assemble an insight in cell and tissue function starting form a molecular (nano) level, extending to a cellular (micro) level and finishing at the tissue (macro) level. In specific, biological, physiological, biophysical, biochemical, medical, and engineering aspects are covered from the standpoint of the development of functional substitutes of biological tissues for potential clinical use. Topics in the area of cell engineering include cell membrane biophysics, structure and function of the cytoskeleton, cell-extracellular matrix interactions, and mechanotransduction. In the area of tissue engineering the focus is on the in vitro cultivation of functional tissue equivalents based on the integrated use of isolated cells, biomaterials, and bioreactors. The book also reviews novel techniques for cell and tissue imaging and characterization, some of which are described in detail such as atomic force microscopy. Mathematical modeling methods are also presented as valuable and indispensable tools in cell and tissue engineering. Numerous illustrations enhance the quality and ease of use of the presented material. We hope that the book Cell and Tissue Engineering will be valuable for academic and scientific communities especially in the Western Balkan region as one of the few books in these fields providing a resource and stimulus for biomedical engineering research and education.
