Principles of Supra Molecular Self Assembly and Use of Fiber mesh Scaffolds in the Fabrication of Biomaterials

Tissue engineering techniques aim to create a natural tissue architecture using biomaterials that have all the histological and physiological properties of human cells to replace or regenerate damaged tissue or organs. Nanotechnology is on the rise and expanding to all fields of science, including engineering, medicine, diagnostics and therapeutics. Nanostructures (biomaterials) specifically designed to mimic the physiological signals of the cellular/extracellular environment may prove to be indispensable tools in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. In this chapter, we have discussed biomaterial design from two different perspectives. Supramolecular self-assembly is the bottom-up approach to biomaterials design that takes advantage of all the forces and interactions present in biomolecules and are responsible for their functional organization. This approach has the potential for one of the greatest breakthroughs in tissue engineering technology because it mimics the natural, complex process of coiling and folding biomolecules. In contrast, a fiber mesh scaffold is a topdown approach in which cells are seeded. The scaffolds form the cellular scaffold while the cells produce and release the desired chemical messengers to support the regeneration process. Therefore, both techniques, if efficiently explored, may lead to the development of ideal biomaterials produced by self-assembly or by the fabrication of optimal scaffolds with long shelf life and minimal adverse reactions.

Keywords: Carbon nanotubes, Chitosan, Hydrogen bonding, Peptide amphiphiles, Polycaprolactone, Regenerative medicine, Tissue engineering, Selfassembly.