TABLE 1.

Expected applications of pharmacological sciences to the development of TE/RM

TE/RM Process/Need	Pharmacological Application
Functional evaluation of engineered and regenerating tissues	Preclinical assessment and pharmacological characterization of tissue/organ phenotype in vitro and in vivo*
Modulation of stem/progenitor cell expansion and differentiation	Screening of growth factor and small molecule libraries; development of improved culture systems (overlap of pharmacology and engineering) **
Targeted cellular delivery of drugs/chemicals to modulate regeneration in vivo	Development of novel drug delivery systems including biomaterials, nanomaterials, and bifunctional compounds that target active agents to specific tissue locations**
Biomaterials as reservoirs for bioactive agents and cell delivery vehicles for accelerated tissue formation and function in vitro and in vivo	Development of functionalized “smart” biomaterials**
Real-time modulation of tissue formation/regeneration/morphogenesis*	Pharmacological modulation of the entire regenerative process: may incorporate all of the above elements, with the added complexity of replicating the exquisite spatiotemporal regulation characteristic of morphogen gradients in normal development**

^*denotes a “passive or dissecting” contribution of regenerative pharmacology; **denotes an “active or directing” role.