The 1994 Keystone Tissue engineering Symposium, to be held in Taos, New Mexico, February 20-26, 1994, will focus on recent advances in tissue engineering, i.e. the development of biological substitutes for the restoration, maintenance, or enhancement of bodily function. This symposium will be held concurrently with the Keystone Symposium on the Biology of Physiochemical Interactions at the Cell Surface. In addition to the opening keynote session, these two symposia will have three other joint sessions focusing on basic principles. The first of these will explore how cellular interactions and extracellular matrix influences cell function and tissue remodeling, the second on biomaterials will discuss currently available methods for fabricating artificial tissue scaffoldings and new approaches for synthesizing novel attachment substrates using biological molecules, and the third will focus on concepts in the regulation of biological activity by mechanical stresses. One other session will focus on basic principles, introducing the topic of cell growth and stem cell isolation, issues which are critical to the successful development of biological substitutes. In addition, there will be a series of five sessions directed towards recent experiences in the development of organ-specific tissue-engineered biological substitutes. The first of these will focus on the musculoskeletal system, including a review of experience with artificial tissue design and testing. The second of these will discuss basic concepts and applications in the development, design, and testing of hybrid bioartificial organs. The third in this series will emphasize basic concepts in hematopoiesis, review experience in the development of hematopoietic bioreactor systems, and explore the potential use of hematopoietic cell-based gene therapy. The fourth session will focus on basic concepts in vascular biology and review experiences in the application of these to the development, design, and testing of vascular grafts. The final, closing session of the symposium will discuss basic concepts in the development of skin and their application to the design and testing of artificial skin.
