Stem-cell-related strategies may predominate these days in tissue engineering, but cell therapy companies know that providing the right microenvironment for nurturing tissue growth remains a difficult and essential challenge. Thus, start-ups remain committed to the developent of cellular matrices that provide the appropriate structure, environment, and bioactivity to encourage tissue growth. The four start-ups profiled in this issue represent a cross-section of strategies.

Orthobiologics are now on the horizon, driving suppliers to increase R&D spending. The goal is to develop high-margin products that will actively promote bone formation. Has the slow progress to commercialization of the first two products--bone morphogenic proteins developed by the collaborations of Stryker Corp/Creative Biomolecules and Genetics Institute/Sofamor Danek--helped prime the market to accept a new technology? Or has the perception of delay dampened enthusiasm and scared off some of the big orthopedics players?

After reviewing real-world data, the US agency says the decontamination systems should only be used for compatible facemasks and should not be used to clean a mask more than four times.