of functional substitutes of biological tissues for potential clinical use. Topics in the area of cell engineering include cell membrane biophysics, structure and function of the cytoskeleton, cell-extracellular matrix interactions, and mechanotransduction. In the area of tissue engineering the focus is on the in vitro cultivation of functional tissue equivalents based on the integrated use of isolated cells, biomaterials, and bioreactors. The book also reviews novel techniques for cell and tissue imaging and characterization, some of which are described in detail such as atomic force microscopy. Finally, mathematical modeling methods are presented as valuable and indispensable tools in cell and tissue engineering. Numerous illustrations enhance the quality and ease of use of the presented material.