We have always sought ways to improve the human condition, and to restore damaged bodies. This desire was first manifested through myth, and then made real through early experiments and through the emergence of modern surgery in the nineteenth century. In our current era, whole fields of reconstructive surgery have emerged to improve the quality of life by replacing missing function through rebuilding the body’s structures. The molecular and cellular events of the immune response have been elucidated sufficiently to suppress the response in the clinical setting of transplantation and to prolong graft survival and function in patients.
Transplantation from one individual into another, although very successful, has severe constraints, and it is within this context that the field of tissue engineering has emerged. In essence, new and functional living tissue is fabricated using living cells, which are usually associated in one way or another with a matrix or scaffolding to guide tissue development. The field draws heavily on an explosion of new knowledge from several interrelated well-established disciplines, but faces a huge range of challenges – both scientific and social. Ultimate success will rely on the dedication, creativity, and enthusiasm of those who have chosen to work in this exciting but still unproved field.