Smart Materials for Tissue Engineering: Applications
CHAPTER 3: Applications of Injectable Smart Materials in Tissue Engineering
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Published:03 May 2017
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Special Collection: 2017 ebook collection
Qiang Zhao, 2017. "Applications of Injectable Smart Materials in Tissue Engineering", Smart Materials for Tissue Engineering: Applications, Qun Wang, Qun Wang
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Injectable smart hydrogels, as types of stimuli-responsive materials, include covalently crosslinked polymeric hydrogels as well as supramolecular hydrogels formed due to self-assembly. Their physiochemical properties make them suitable for applications in tissue engineering. In addition to acting as carriers of cells, they can further mediate or regulate the process of cell growth and tissue regeneration. Until now, injectable smart hydrogels have been successfully utilized to repair and replace a wide range of tissues, including bone, cartilage, skin, myocardium, tendon, and so on.