Tissue engineering by modulated gene delivery

Tissue engineering is a newly emerging biomedical form to create a local environment which enables cells to promote the proliferation and differentiation for regeneration induction. The cell-induced regeneration of tissues and organs is achieved by making use of the tissue engineering technology or methodology. Several genetic approaches with virus and non-viral vectors or genetically engineered cells have been attempted to enhance tissue regeneration. The basic idea is to promote the cell proliferation and differentiation as well as the secretion of biological signal molecules for tissue regeneration from cells by gene transfection. For successful gene transfection and expression, it is important to develop drug delivery system (DDS) which allows a therapeutic gene to be delivered specifically to the target cell at an appropriate timing for a certain time period. This paper overviews the recent development of gene-modified tissue engineering, briefly explaining delivery technologies necessary to modulate the efficiency of gene transfection.