Cellmaterial

Cellmaterial is a term used to describe materials that incorporate living cells or are organized to imitate cellular architecture. The concept appears in fields such as tissue engineering, biohybrid devices, and the broader study of living materials. In some usages, cellmaterial refers to scaffolds populated with cells, while in others it denotes composites where cells interact with a synthetic matrix.

Forms and examples include cell-laden hydrogels, decellularized extracellular matrix scaffolds repopulated with cells, and synthetic polymers designed to host living cells. Advances include 3D bioprinting that places cells in defined patterns and living composites where cells contribute remodeling and function.

Properties of cellmaterials typically emphasize biocompatibility, porosity for nutrient transport, and tunable degradability. Mechanical properties are tailored to match target tissues, and the presence of living cells enables metabolic activity, remodeling, stimulus responsiveness, and, in some cases, self-healing or regeneration after damage.

Production and handling involve cell isolation or harvesting, scaffold preparation, hydrogel formulation or polymer synthesis, followed by sterilization, seeding, and culture in bioreactors. Maintaining sterility and cell viability is central to performance and reliability.

Applications and challenges include tissue engineering and regenerative medicine (such as bone, cartilage, and skin repair), implant coatings, biosensing, soft robotics, and environmental remediation using microbial cell-materials. Challenges encompass regulatory and ethical considerations, batch variability, immune compatibility, long-term stability, and scalability.

Terminology and status: the term "cellmaterial" is not universally defined and may overlap with concepts such as living materials or biohybrid systems. As a nascent field, definitions vary by discipline.