Promoting angiogenesis in engineered tissues

There is a tremendous need for organs and tissues to replace those lost due to diseases or trauma. In theory, transplanting cells on biomaterial matrices can create functional tissue. A critical question, however, is how to supply cells embedded within large cell-polymer constructs with sufficient oxygen and nutrients to sustain their survival and proliferation, and allow for the integration of the developing tissue with the surrounding tissue. A rapid and high level of vascularization of transplanted polymer-cell matrices is essential in tissue engineering approaches to meet these challenges. This review summarizes the current approaches and materials under development in our laboratory to promote angiogenesis in engineered tissues.