Molecular signaling in bioengineered tissue microenvironments.

Biological tissues and organs consist of specialized living cells arrayed within a complex structural and functional framework known generally as the extracellular matrix (ECM). The great diversity observed in the morphology and composition of the ECM contributes enormously to the properties and function of each organ and tissue. For example, the ECM contributes to the rigidity and tensile strength of bone, the resilience of cartilage, the flexibility and hydrostatic strength of blood vessels, and the elasticity of skin.