Microparticles in Contact with Cells: From Carriers to Multifunctional Tissue Modulators

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Bioengineering
• Tissue Engineering

Background:

• Microparticles traditionally served as spherical drug delivery vehicles and cell expansion carriers.
• Recent advancements integrate microparticles into broader bioengineering, including tissue engineering and 3D bioprinting.
• The focus is shifting from simple spherical shapes to finely tuned microparticulate systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically review the current state and future trends of biomaterial microparticles in cell and tissue applications.
• To emphasize innovative particle designs and their impact on emerging technologies.
• To exclude studies focused on particle internalization, concentrating on cell/tissue interactions.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of biomaterial microparticle applications in bioengineering.
• Analysis of innovative particle designs and their (bio)chemical/physical features.
• Focus on applications involving cell and tissue contact, excluding internalization.

Main Results:

• Microparticles are increasingly utilized in advanced bioengineering applications beyond traditional roles.
• Finely tuned microparticle designs with specific geometric and biochemical properties are key.
• Innovative microparticle systems are driving progress in tissue engineering and disease modeling.

Conclusions:

• The field of biomaterial microparticles is rapidly advancing, with novel designs enabling new applications.
• Microparticles are becoming central to innovative strategies in tissue engineering and 3D bioprinting.
• Future trends point towards sophisticated microparticle engineering for complex biological applications.