Contribution of polymeric supports to the development of tissue engineering

Tissue Engineering is an emerging discipline based on the concept of the ra tional design and fabrication of living tissues and organs for repair and r eplacement. The present article deals with the criteria for the selection o f polymeric supports necessary for the growing and multiplication of cells responsible of the regenerative tissue. Criteria of biocompatibility, biode gradability and non toxic character of the degradation products are conside red and the chemical structure and physical-chemical properties and morphol ogy of natural and synthetic polymeric systems are described. The experimen tal "in vivo" study of the regeneration of sciatic nerve in rats with a gui ded experimental device is presented. The activation of regeneration by the sustained release of growth hormone from a slow soluble Vinyl pyrrolidone- hydroxyethyl methacrylate copolymer hydrogel is shown on the basis of histo pathological analysis.