Academic Press Biopolymers for 3D Tissue Engineering: Processing and Applications

Biopolymers for 3D Tissue Engineering: Processing and Applications explores the critical role of biopolymers in advancing tissue engineering and 3D cell culture―key technologies in drug discovery, personalized medicine, and disease treatment. Scaffolds form the foundation of these applications, yet current options―primarily synthetic polymers like polypropylene, polyethylene, or polystyrene, and some natural materials such as collagen and silk fibroin―are often expensive and lack optimal properties such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, and mechanical stability. This book addresses the global effort to develop next-generation scaffolds that overcome these limitations. Biopolymers offer a compelling solution, with inherent biodegradability, biocompatibility, and sustainability. They are abundant, cost-effective, and derived from renewable sources, making them ideal for medical applications. However, their processing poses significant challenges, as many biopolymers resist dissolution in common solvents and lack thermoplastic behavior. This book provides a comprehensive overview of the structure, properties, and processability of biopolymers, with a focus on innovative techniques for converting them into functional scaffolds suitable for 3D cell culture. Unlike existing literature that emphasizes biomaterial properties or applications, this is the first book to focus exclusively on biopolymers for tissue engineering. It covers carbohydrates, proteins, and synthetic biopolymers in a single, authoritative source, making it invaluable for students, researchers, professionals, and industry stakeholders. By bridging the gap between material science and biomedical application, Biopolymers for 3D Tissue Engineering offers both a scientific foundation and practical insights to accelerate the development of sustainable, high-performance scaffolds for next-generation healthcare solutions. Highlights the exclusive focus on biopolymers, offering the only comprehensive resource dedicated to their processing, properties, and applications in tissue engineering and 3D cell culture Covers the full spectrum of carbohydrates, proteins, and synthetic biopolymers, integrating structure, processability, and scaffold design in one authoritative source Bridges material science and biomedical application by providing practical strategies to develop cost-effective, sustainable, and high-performance scaffolds for medical use