EUROPEAN CELLS & MATERIALS

ECM provides an interdisciplinary forum for publication of preclinical research in the musculoskeletal field (Orthopaedics, Trauma, Maxillofacial (including dental) and Spine). ECM Journal is published by the AO Research Institute Davos, a Not-for-Profit foundation in Switzerland. • Assessment of materials for biomedical use Manuscripts must have an important biological dimension, reporting effects at the cellular, tissue or organismic levels. Mechanotransduction papers with musculoskeletal cells are within ECM scope. In vitro cytocompatibilty studies should use primary cells or more than one cell line and provide more than just simple descriptions of cell viability, spreading, proliferation, mineralisation etc. Major improvements with in vitro, ex vivo or in vivo models and relevant opinion papers may be considered. Papers focussing purely on material properties or biomechanics properties (alone or combined, without a strong biological dimension) will not be entertained. Manuscripts on effects of surfaces, coatings, additives etc. in preventing bacterial adhesion must also consider the effect on eukaryotic cells (to be mentioned within the abstract) or refer to previously published data using the exact same surfaces. High level submissions on infection prevention, diagnostics, therapy and major improvement with in vitro or in vivo models within the musculoskeletal field (as defined by ECM below) are within ECM scope. • Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (TERM) Manuscripts concerning aspects of the repair or regeneration of connective and mineralized tissues within the musculoskeletal field (as defined by ECM below) will be considered. TERM papers where only biomechanical testing is utilized will not be considered, but biomechanics may be within a TERM submission. • Structure, function, biology and biomechanics of connective and mineralized tissues Manuscripts concerning the structure of bone, teeth, cartilage, intervertebral discs, skeletal muscle, tendons and ligaments within the musculoskeletal field (as defined by ECM below) will be considered. • Stem and Progenitor Cells Manuscripts concerning stem cell characterization and mechanisms of differentiation as they relate to the connective and mineralized tissues of the musculoskeletal field (as defined by ECM below) will be considered. Note: The use of pooled donor cells should be avoided. When unavoidable, their use needs to be justified convincingly within the manuscript (and within the cover letter). Note: Technical notes and papers focussing purely on computational, material or biomechanical models will not be entertained. Papers must report effects at the cellular, tissue or organismic levels, which is a pre-requisite for possible acceptance of papers for publication in ECM. The clinical relevance of the work must be briefly mentioned within the abstract and in more detail in the paper. Poor abstracts, which do not concisely cover the paper contents will not be sent for review. Incremental steps in research will not be entertained by ECM journal. Cross-disciplinary papers that go across our scope areas are within ECM scope. ECM 's definition of the musculoskeletal field includes bone, teeth, cartilage, intervertebral discs, skeletal muscle (not smooth or cardiac muscle), tendons and ligaments (it does not include the spinal cord or neural tissues).