Structure-function relations in elastic tissues: lessons for tissue engineering

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The rapidly growing fields of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine are striving to direct the growth and development of tissue replacements that capture the mechanical function of native tissues. A particular challenge is the reproduction of load-bearing elastic tissues which must stretch and recoil with minimal energy loss. The major stumbling block in tissue engineering has been the inability to grow the important structural elastic fibers that are the main rubbery component in these tissues. The proposed research takes a completely novel and interdisciplinary approach to this problem by using tools from materials science and engineering to investigate the structural and functional development of elastic fibers in natural tissues. Our belief is that the best lessons for tissue engineering design will come from understanding the complex structural-functional relationships of developing fetal tissues and how these tissue adapt to alterations in their mechanical loading conditions.