- Home
- A-Z Publications
- Annual Review of Biomedical Engineering
- Previous Issues
- Volume 16, 2014
Annual Review of Biomedical Engineering - Volume 16, 2014
Volume 16, 2014
-
-
Heart Regeneration with Engineered Myocardial Tissue
Vol. 16 (2014), pp. 1–28More LessHeart disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, and regenerative therapies that replace damaged myocardium could benefit millions of patients annually. The many cell types in the heart, including cardiomyocytes, endothelial cells, vascular smooth muscle cells, pericytes, and cardiac fibroblasts, communicate via intercellular signaling and modulate each other's function. Although much progress has been made in generating cells of the cardiovascular lineage from human pluripotent stem cells, a major challenge now is creating the tissue architecture to integrate a microvascular circulation and afferent arterioles into such an engineered tissue. Recent advances in cardiac and vascular tissue engineering will move us closer to the goal of generating functionally mature tissue. Using the biology of the myocardium as the foundation for designing engineered tissue and addressing the challenges to implantation and integration, we can bridge the gap from bench to bedside for a clinically tractable engineered cardiac tissue.
-
-
-
Bioengineering the Ovarian Follicle Microenvironment
Vol. 16 (2014), pp. 29–52More LessChemo- and radiation therapies used to treat cancer can have the unintended effect of making patients infertile. Clinically established fertility preservation methods, such as egg and embryo cryopreservation, are not applicable to all patients, which has motivated the development of strategies that involve ovarian tissue removal and cryopreservation before the first sterilizing treatment. To restore fertility at a later date, the early-stage follicles present in the tissue must be matured to produce functional oocytes, a process that is not possible using existing cell culture technologies. This review describes the application of tissue engineering principles to promote ovarian follicle maturation and produce mature oocytes through either in vitro culture or transplantation. The design principles for these engineered systems are presented, along with identification of emerging opportunities in reproductive biology.
-
-
-
Computational Modeling of Cardiac Valve Function and Intervention
Wei Sun, Caitlin Martin, and Thuy PhamVol. 16 (2014), pp. 53–76More LessIn the past two decades, major advances have been made in the clinical evaluation and treatment of valvular heart disease owing to the advent of noninvasive cardiac imaging modalities. In clinical practice, valvular disease evaluation is typically performed on two-dimensional (2D) images, even though most imaging modalities offer three-dimensional (3D) volumetric, time-resolved data. Such 3D data offer researchers the possibility to reconstruct the 3D geometry of heart valves at a patient-specific level. When these data are integrated with computational models, native heart valve biomechanical function can be investigated, and preoperative planning tools can be developed. In this review, we outline the advances in valve geometry reconstruction, tissue property modeling, and loading and boundary definitions for the purpose of realistic computational structural analysis of cardiac valve function and intervention.
-
-
-
Blood Substitutes
Vol. 16 (2014), pp. 77–101More LessThe toxic side effects of early generations of red blood cell substitutes have stimulated development of more safe and efficacious high-molecular-weight polymerized hemoglobins, poly(ethylene glycol)-conjugated hemoglobins, and vesicle-encapsulated hemoglobins. Unfortunately, the high colloid osmotic pressure and blood plasma viscosity of these new-generation materials limit their application to blood concentrations that, in general, are not sufficient for full restoration of oxygen-carrying and -delivery capacity. However, these materials may serve as oxygen therapeutics for treating tissues affected by ischemia and trauma, particularly when the therapeutics are coformulated with antioxidants. These new oxygen therapeutics also possess additional beneficial effects owing to their optimal plasma expansion properties, which induce systemic supraperfusion that increases endothelial nitric oxide production and improves tissue washout of metabolic wastes, further contributing to their therapeutic role.
-
-
-
Optical Neural Interfaces
Vol. 16 (2014), pp. 103–129More LessGenetically encoded optical actuators and indicators have changed the landscape of neuroscience, enabling targetable control and readout of specific components of intact neural circuits in behaving animals. Here, we review the development of optical neural interfaces, focusing on hardware designed for optical control of neural activity, integrated optical control and electrical readout, and optical readout of population and single-cell neural activity in freely moving mammals.
-
-
-
From Unseen to Seen: Tackling the Global Burden of Uncorrected Refractive Errors
Vol. 16 (2014), pp. 131–153More LessWorldwide, more than one billion people suffer from poor vision because they do not have the eyeglasses they need. Their uncorrected refractive errors are a major cause of global disability and drastically reduce productivity, educational opportunities, and overall quality of life. The problem persists most prevalently in low-resource settings, even though prescription eyeglasses serve as a simple, effective, and largely affordable solution. In this review, we discuss barriers to obtaining, and approaches for providing, refractive eye care. We also highlight emerging technologies that are being developed to increase the accessibility of eye care. Finally, we describe opportunities that exist for engineers to develop new solutions to positively impact the diagnosis and treatment of correctable refractive errors in low-resource settings.
-
-
-
Photoacoustic Microscopy and Computed Tomography: From Bench to Bedside
Lihong V. Wang, and Liang GaoVol. 16 (2014), pp. 155–185More LessPhotoacoustic imaging (PAI) of biological tissue has seen immense growth in the past decade, providing unprecedented spatial resolution and functional information at depths in the optical diffusive regime. PAI uniquely combines the advantages of optical excitation and those of acoustic detection. The hybrid imaging modality features high sensitivity to optical absorption and wide scalability of spatial resolution with the desired imaging depth. Here we first summarize the fundamental principles underpinning the technology, then highlight its practical implementation, and finally discuss recent advances toward clinical translation.
-
-
-
Effects of Biomechanical Properties of the Bone–Implant Interface on Dental Implant Stability: From In Silico Approaches to the Patient's Mouth
Vol. 16 (2014), pp. 187–213More LessDental implants have become a routinely used technique in dentistry for replacing teeth. However, risks of failure are still experienced and remain difficult to anticipate. Multiscale phenomena occurring around the implant interface determine the implant outcome. The aim of this review is to provide an understanding of the biomechanical behavior of the interface between a dental implant and the region of bone adjacent to it (the bone–implant interface) as a function of the interface's environment. First, we describe the determinants of implant stability in relation to the different multiscale simulation approaches used to model the evolution of the bone–implant interface. Then, we review the various aspects of osseointegration in relation to implant stability. Next, we describe the different approaches used in the literature to measure implant stability in vitro and in vivo. Last, we review various factors affecting the evolution of the bone–implant interface properties.
-
-
-
Sound-Producing Voice Prostheses: 150 Years of Research
Vol. 16 (2014), pp. 215–245More LessAdvanced laryngeal cancer sometimes necessitates the removal of the complete larynx. This procedure involves suturing the trachea to an opening in the neck, the most disturbing consequence of which is the loss of voice. Since 1859, several devices have been developed for voice restoration, based mainly on a vibrating reed element. However, the resulting sound is very monotonous and thus unpleasant. Presently the most successful way of voice restoration is the placement of a one-way shunt valve in the tracheo-esophageal wall, thus preventing aspiration and allowing air to flow from the lungs to the esophagus, where soft tissues start to vibrate for substitute voicing. However, the quality of this voice is often poor. New artificial vocal folds to be placed within the shunt valve have been developed, and a membrane-principle concept appears very promising, owing to the self-cleaning construction and the high voice quality. Future developments will include electronic voice sources. Hopefully these developments will result in a high-quality voice, after 150 years of research.
-
-
-
3D Biofabrication Strategies for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine
Vol. 16 (2014), pp. 247–276More LessOver the past several decades, there has been an ever-increasing demand for organ transplants. However, there is a severe shortage of donor organs, and as a result of the increasing demand, the gap between supply and demand continues to widen. A potential solution to this problem is to grow or fabricate organs using biomaterial scaffolds and a person's own cells. Although the realization of this solution has been limited, the development of new biofabrication approaches has made it more realistic. This review provides an overview of natural and synthetic biomaterials that have been used for organ/tissue development. It then discusses past and current biofabrication techniques, with a brief explanation of the state of the art. Finally, the review highlights the need for combining vascularization strategies with current biofabrication techniques. Given the multitude of applications of biofabrication technologies, from organ/tissue development to drug discovery/screening to development of complex in vitro models of human diseases, these manufacturing technologies can have a significant impact on the future of medicine and health care.
-
-
-
Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells for Regenerative Medicine
Vol. 16 (2014), pp. 277–294More LessWith the discovery of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, it is now possible to convert differentiated somatic cells into multipotent stem cells that have the capacity to generate all cell types of adult tissues. Thus, there is a wide variety of applications for this technology, including regenerative medicine, in vitro disease modeling, and drug screening/discovery. Although biological and biochemical techniques have been well established for cell reprogramming, bioengineering technologies offer novel tools for the reprogramming, expansion, isolation, and differentiation of iPS cells. In this article, we review these bioengineering approaches for the derivation and manipulation of iPS cells and focus on their relevance to regenerative medicine.
-
-
-
Electroporation-Based Technologies for Medicine: Principles, Applications, and Challenges
Vol. 16 (2014), pp. 295–320More LessWhen high-amplitude, short-duration pulsed electric fields are applied to cells and tissues, the permeability of the cell membranes and tissue is increased. This increase in permeability is currently explained by the temporary appearance of aqueous pores within the cell membrane, a phenomenon termed electroporation. During the past four decades, advances in fundamental and experimental electroporation research have allowed for the translation of electroporation-based technologies to the clinic. In this review, we describe the theory and current applications of electroporation in medicine and then discuss current challenges in electroporation research and barriers to a more extensive spread of these clinical applications.
-
-
-
The Role of Mechanical Forces in Tumor Growth and Therapy
Vol. 16 (2014), pp. 321–346More LessTumors generate physical forces during growth and progression. These physical forces are able to compress blood and lymphatic vessels, reducing perfusion rates and creating hypoxia. When exerted directly on cancer cells, they can increase cells' invasive and metastatic potential. Tumor vessels—while nourishing the tumor—are usually leaky and tortuous, which further decreases perfusion. Hypoperfusion and hypoxia contribute to immune evasion, promote malignant progression and metastasis, and reduce the efficacy of a number of therapies, including radiation. In parallel, vessel leakiness together with vessel compression causes a uniformly elevated interstitial fluid pressure that hinders delivery of blood-borne therapeutic agents, lowering the efficacy of chemo- and nanotherapies. In addition, shear stresses exerted by flowing blood and interstitial fluid modulate the behavior of cancer and a variety of host cells. Taming these physical forces can improve therapeutic outcomes in many cancers.
-
-
-
Recent Advances in Nanoparticle-Mediated siRNA Delivery
Vol. 16 (2014), pp. 347–370More LessInhibiting specific gene expression by short interfering RNA (siRNA) offers a new therapeutic strategy to tackle many diseases, including cancer, metabolic disorders, and viral infections, at the molecular level. The macromolecular and polar nature of siRNA hinders its cellular access to exert its effect. Nanoparticulate delivery systems can promote efficient intracellular delivery. Despite showing promise in many preclinical studies and potential in some clinical trials, siRNA has poor delivery efficiency, which continues to demand innovations, from carrier design to formulation, in order to overcome transport barriers. Previous findings for optimal plasmid DNA delivery cannot be generalized to siRNA delivery owing to significant discrepancy in size and subtle differences in chain flexibility between the two types of nucleic acids. In this review, we highlight the recent advances in improving the stability of siRNA nanoparticles, understanding their intracellular trafficking and release mechanisms, and applying judiciously the promising formulations to disease models.
-
-
-
Inertial Focusing in Microfluidics
Vol. 16 (2014), pp. 371–396More LessWhen Segré and Silberberg in 1961 witnessed particles in a laminar pipe flow congregating at an annulus in the pipe, scientists were perplexed and spent decades learning why such behavior occurred, finally understanding that it was caused by previously unknown forces on particles in an inertial flow. The advent of microfluidics opened a new realm of possibilities for inertial focusing in the processing of biological fluids and cellular suspensions and created a field that is now rapidly expanding. Over the past five years, inertial focusing has enabled high-throughput, simple, and precise manipulation of bodily fluids for a myriad of applications in point-of-care and clinical diagnostics. This review describes the theoretical developments that have made the field of inertial focusing what it is today and presents the key applications that will make inertial focusing a mainstream technology in the future.
-
-
-
Electrical Stimuli in the Central Nervous System Microenvironment
Vol. 16 (2014), pp. 397–430More LessElectrical stimulation to manipulate the central nervous system (CNS) has been applied as early as the 1750s to produce visual sensations of light. Deep brain stimulation (DBS), cochlear implants, visual prosthetics, and functional electrical stimulation (FES) are being applied in the clinic to treat a wide array of neurological diseases, disorders, and injuries. This review describes the history of electrical stimulation of the CNS microenvironment; recent advances in electrical stimulation of the CNS, including DBS to treat essential tremor, Parkinson's disease, and depression; FES for the treatment of spinal cord injuries; and alternative electrical devices to restore vision and hearing via neuroprosthetics (retinal and cochlear implants). It also discusses the role of electrical cues during development and following injury and, importantly, manipulation of these endogenous cues to support regeneration of neural tissue.
-
-
-
Advances in Computed Tomography Imaging Technology
Vol. 16 (2014), pp. 431–453More LessComputed tomography (CT) is an essential tool in diagnostic imaging for evaluating many clinical conditions. In recent years, there have been several notable advances in CT technology that already have had or are expected to have a significant clinical impact, including extreme multidetector CT, iterative reconstruction algorithms, dual-energy CT, cone-beam CT, portable CT, and phase-contrast CT. These techniques and their clinical applications are reviewed and illustrated in this article. In addition, emerging technologies that address deficiencies in these modalities are discussed.
-
-
-
Shaping Magnetic Fields to Direct Therapy to Ears and Eyes
Vol. 16 (2014), pp. 455–481More LessMagnetic fields have the potential to noninvasively direct and focus therapy to disease targets. External magnets can apply forces on drug-coated magnetic nanoparticles, or on living cells that contain particles, and can be used to manipulate them in vivo. Significant progress has been made in developing and testing safe and therapeutic magnetic constructs that can be manipulated by magnetic fields. However, we do not yet have the magnet systems that can then direct those constructs to the right places, in vivo, over human patient distances. We do not yet know where to put the external magnets, how to shape them, or when to turn them on and off to direct particles or magnetized cells—in blood, through tissue, and across barriers—to disease locations. In this article, we consider ear and eye disease targets. Ear and eye targets are too deep and complex to be targeted by a single external magnet, but they are shallow enough that a combination of magnets may be able to direct therapy to them. We focus on how magnetic fields should be shaped (in space and time) to direct magnetic constructs to ear and eye targets.
-
-
-
Electrical Control of Epilepsy
Vol. 16 (2014), pp. 483–504More LessEpilepsy afflicts approximately 1–2% of the world's population. The mainstay therapy for treating the chronic recurrent seizures that are emblematic of epilepsy are drugs that manipulate levels of neuronal excitability in the brain. However, approximately one-third of all epilepsy patients get little to no clinical relief from this therapeutic regimen. The use of electrical stimulation in many forms to treat drug-refractory epilepsy has grown markedly over the past few decades, with some devices and protocols being increasingly used as standard clinical treatment. This article seeks to review the fundamental modes of applying electrical stimulation—from the noninvasive to the nominally invasive to deep brain stimulation—for the control of seizures in epileptic patients. Therapeutic practices from the commonly deployed clinically to the experimental are discussed to provide an overview of the innovative neural engineering approaches being explored to treat this difficult disease.
-
-
-
Mechanosensing at the Vascular Interface
Vol. 16 (2014), pp. 505–532More LessMammals are endowed with a complex set of mechanisms that sense mechanical forces imparted by blood flow to endothelial cells (ECs), smooth muscle cells, and circulating blood cells to elicit biochemical responses through a process referred to as mechanotransduction. These biochemical responses are critical for a host of other responses, including regulation of blood pressure, control of vascular permeability for maintaining adequate perfusion of tissues, and control of leukocyte recruitment during immunosurveillance and inflammation. This review focuses on the role of the endothelial surface proteoglycan/glycoprotein layer—the glycocalyx (GCX)—that lines all blood vessel walls and is an agent in mechanotransduction and the modulation of blood cell interactions with the EC surface. We first discuss the biochemical composition and ultrastructure of the GCX, highlighting recent developments that reveal gaps in our understanding of the relationship between composition and spatial organization. We then consider the roles of the GCX in mechanotransduction and in vascular permeability control and review the prominent interaction of plasma-borne sphingosine-1 phosphate (S1P), which has been shown to regulate both the composition of the GCX and the endothelial junctions. Finally, we consider the association of GCX degradation with inflammation and vascular disease and end with a final section on future research directions.
-
Previous Volumes
-
Volume 26 (2024)
-
Volume 25 (2023)
-
Volume 24 (2022)
-
Volume 23 (2021)
-
Volume 22 (2020)
-
Volume 21 (2019)
-
Volume 20 (2018)
-
Volume 19 (2017)
-
Volume 18 (2016)
-
Volume 17 (2015)
-
Volume 16 (2014)
-
Volume 15 (2013)
-
Volume 14 (2012)
-
Volume 13 (2011)
-
Volume 12 (2010)
-
Volume 11 (2009)
-
Volume 10 (2008)
-
Volume 9 (2007)
-
Volume 8 (2006)
-
Volume 7 (2005)
-
Volume 6 (2004)
-
Volume 5 (2003)
-
Volume 4 (2002)
-
Volume 3 (2001)
-
Volume 2 (2000)
-
Volume 1 (1999)
-
Volume 0 (1932)