Options for tissue engineering to address challenges of the aging
skeleton.
Tissue Eng, 6 (4):
341-50 (2000)Abstract
There will be more than 52 million Americans over the age of 65 by
the year 2020 (U.S. Census Bureau). Regenerating form and function
to bone defects in an elderly, osteoporotic population of this magnitude
will be a daunting challenge. Tissue engineering options must be
considered to answer this challenge. Options can include gene transfer
technology, stem cell therapy, and recombinant signaling molecules.
An additional component will be a carrier that localizes, protects,
predictably releases cues and cells, as well as establishes an environment
for restoring osseous form and function. The purposes of this article
are to present an overview of the bone regenerating decrement affecting
osteoporotic, elderly patients and to highlight some tissue engineering
options that could offset this decrement.