Foreword

Stem cells possess self-renewal and multi-lineage differentiation potential, which are capable of differentiating into more than 200 types of functional cells in vitro and thus hold promising applications in regenerative medicine. Generally, stem cells can be divided into four types totipotent stem cells ( e.g., zygotes), pluripotent stem cells ( e.g., embryonic stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells), multipotent stem cells ( e.g., mesenchymal stem/stromal cells, neural stem cells), and unipotent stem cells ( e.g., amniotic epithelial stem cells, hematopoietic stem cells).

State-of-the-art renewal has indicated the combination of biomaterials ( e.g., hydrogels, hydroxyapatites, nano-materials, scaffolds) with mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs), which are heterogeneous populations with unique hematopoietic-supporting and immunoregulatory properties for tissue engineering purposes. For decades, we and other investigators have demonstrated the promising prospects of MSC-based tissue engineering in regenerative medicine, and in particular, for the administration of recurrent and refractory disease. Very recently, a number of talented experts took advantage of the biomaterial/MSC composite or scaffolds for applications in osteoarthritis, burn wounds, and refractory wounds associated with diabetic foot as well. Strikingly, the composite or scaffold showed superiority in the continuous improvement of the biological functions of the injured areas over biomaterials or MSCs, respectively. Therewith, stem cells, and biomaterials are recognized as “seeds” and “soils”, which are of equal importance for tissue engineering. Collectively, stem cell and biomaterial-based tissue engineering is a core frontier area for disease remodeling and the accompanied regenerative medicine in the future.

Therewith, in this book, Professor Leisheng Zhang in our team and the coauthors have summarized the latest updates of biomaterial/stem cell composites in tissue engineering and put forward the hotspot issues in the future including 3D printing, biomaterial/MSC-exosomes in preclinical and clinical applications.