Tissue Engineering
Tissue Engineering is a specialized branch of biotechnology concerned with growing tissues, primarily for skin, limb, and organ replacement in humans, with applications in veterinary medicine and agriculture. This field is in its early stages of research and development, with enormous potential for saving lives and improving the quality of life.

In vertebrates such as humans, most organs consist of layers of cells that interact during development to form the unique shapes and forms that characterize various parts of the body. This process is a branch of developmental biology known as morphogenesis----the genesis of form and structure in living things.

Epithelial morphogenesis is concerned with the process by which the outer layers of tissues and organs----known as epithelium----develop their unique characteristics. This process involves cell signaling----a fascinating process in which specific molecules such as proteins bind to specific receptors and help coordinate changes in the life history of the interacting cells.