[Relevance of life sciences for traumatologic and orthopedic surgery]

During the last 15 years biology and life science underwent a dramatic development. Daily we hear about new discoveries in this area of research. There is for example the identification of new genes, which are responsible for different phenomena: cancer genes, adipositas genes and suicide genes. Furthermore there are reports of human ears growing on the back of a mice or cloning of complex organisms (i.e. Dolly). This kind of research is mostly summarized under terms like: genetic engineering, life science, genetics, molecular biology, biochemistry, bioanalytics, tissue engineering and reproduction medicine. Because of the indiscriminate use of these terms and the complexity of the single discipline only specialists are able to understand and to assess the relevance of results. Aim of this article is to explain some of these terms and to clarify the principles of some important techniques. By this we want to show the relevance of life science for traumatology which possibly leads to new diagnostic and therapeutic concepts.