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Engineered Biomaterial Platforms to Study Fibrosis
Many pathologic conditions lead to the development of tissue scarring and fibrosis, which are characterized by the accumulation of abnormal extracellular matrix (ECM) and changes in tissue mechanical properties. Cells within fibrotic tissues are exposed to dynamic microenvironments that may promote...
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Published in: | Advanced healthcare materials 2020-04, Vol.9 (8), p.e1901682-n/a |
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Main Authors: | , , |
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Subjects: | |
Citations: | Items that this one cites Items that cite this one |
Online Access: | Get full text |
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Summary: | Many pathologic conditions lead to the development of tissue scarring and fibrosis, which are characterized by the accumulation of abnormal extracellular matrix (ECM) and changes in tissue mechanical properties. Cells within fibrotic tissues are exposed to dynamic microenvironments that may promote or prolong fibrosis, which makes it difficult to treat. Biomaterials have proved indispensable to better understand how cells sense their extracellular environment and are now being employed to study fibrosis in many tissues. As mechanical testing of tissues becomes more routine and biomaterial tools become more advanced, the impact of biophysical factors in fibrosis are beginning to be understood. Herein, fibrosis from a materials perspective is reviewed, including the role and mechanical properties of ECM components, the spatiotemporal mechanical changes that occur during fibrosis, current biomaterial systems to study fibrosis, and emerging biomaterial systems and tools that can further the understanding of fibrosis initiation and progression. This review concludes by highlighting considerations in promoting wide‐spread use of biomaterials for fibrosis investigations and by suggesting future in vivo studies that it is hoped will inspire the development of even more advanced biomaterial systems.
The influence of the extracellular environment on the development, progression, and persistence of fibrosis can be understood by developing biomaterial systems that recapitulate diseased tissue. Extracellular matrix composition, multiscale tissue mechanics, and advances in biomaterial design and fibrosis mechanobiology are presented. Existing and emerging biomaterial systems that will help identify new fibrosis therapies are discussed. |
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ISSN: | 2192-2640 2192-2659 2192-2659 |
DOI: | 10.1002/adhm.201901682 |