Stem Cells and Nanotechnology in Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine

This introductory chapter of the book Micro and Nanotechnologies in Engineering Stems Cells and Tissues provides an overview of the central concepts in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering strategies. First, it presents a brief overview of stem cells and their role in cell therapy strategies followed by a discussion of nanotechnology in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering applications using stem cells in conjunction with biomaterials and bioactive factors. In particular, it focuses on the shift that has occurred in the field toward using nanoscale approaches that control cellular activities and tissue formation at the subcellular level.