^{Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine}

Biography

Biography: Dennis M Lox

Abstract

Regenerative Medicine has found traction in numerous medical specialties, including orthopedic and rheumatologic conditions. Clinical studies have utilized various stem cell sources both allogenic and autologous. Tissue engineering strategies with long routes in wound repair models with a variety of scaffolding materials have been applied to the orthopedic model, most frequently the knee. Scaffolds incorporating stem cell medicine have also been studied and used. The most frequent ailment afflicting the knee is degenerative osteoarthritis. Traditional medical models do not alter the progression of this disorder. It is through investigation of Regenerative and Tissue Engineering strategies, that halting or reversing the progressive nature of degenerative osteoarthritis hope remains. A thorough understanding of the complex nature of degenerative osteoarthritis as a multi-factorial disorder, occurring not only as a result of repetitive stress, joint overload, but also as a function of local cytokine signaling. These signaling processes result in catabolism exceeding reparative processes. These cytokine signaling mechanisms are familiar in the Rheumatologic arena, but have not received widespread attention in mainstream medicine. Stem cells and some scaffolds exert a positive reparative or anabolism to counter the degradation of catabolic inflammatory cytokines. The utilization of scaffolds and stem cells merge Regenerative and Tissue Engineering technologies, where the future may include this as a Preventative Medicine Strategy as well.