Tissue Engineering is a new discipline that has as its goal the reconstitution of tissues and organs for use as model systems in basic and applied research as well as for use as grafts to replace damaged of diseased body parts or body functions. The tissues and organs built ex vivo may consist of living cells combined with extracellular molecules, or of acellular structures designed to be remodeled in vivo. It is perceived that the products of Tissue Engineering must be standardized and quality-controlled. Regulatory issues related to their manufacture and use need to be formulated and resolved. Tissue Engineering is a nascent science and technology that draws support from many fields, including cell culture, extracellular matrix biochemistry, cell and developmental biology, immunology and biomechanics. Shaping Tissue Engineering through the synthesis of the sub-disciplines on which it depends is one of the objectives of this Conference, which is organized around challenge topics that attempt to highlight the roles of the sub-disciplines. Tissue Engineering has the potential of accelerating the application of discoveries made in basic research to useful products for both the laboratory and the clinic. How this potential is realized is in large part the focus of this Conference.
