Regenerative engineering has recently emerged as the next stage in the
evolution of tissue engineering. Advanced materials science is a key component in
regenerative engineering. Biologically active materials largely affect cell fate processes
and tissue morphogenesis through chemical and biological cues carried by the materials.
By physical adsorption of biomolecules on scaffold surface, physical entrapment of
biomolecules in polymer microspheres or hydrogels, and chemical immobilization of
oligopeptides or proteins on biomaterials, biologically active biomaterials and scaffolds
can be derived. These bioactive systems show great potential in regenerative
engineering in rendering bioactivity and/or specificity to scaffolds. This review
highlights some of the biologically active chitosan systems for regenerative engineering
and the associated strategies to develop such bioactive chitosan systems.
Keywords: Advanced materials, bioactive, biocompatibility, biodegradability,
biomaterials, biomolecules, chitosan, drug delivery, functionality, growth
factor, hydrogel, immobilization, nanoscale, nanotechnology, peptide,
polymer, regenerative engineering, scaffolds, surface modification, tissue
engineering.
