Biomaterials and scaffold design: key to tissue-engineering cartilage.
Cartilage remains one of the most challenging tissues to reconstruct or replace, owing to its complex geometry in facial structures and mechanical strength at articular surfaces in joints. This non-vascular tissue has poor replicative capacity and damage results in its functionally inferior repair tissue, fibrocartilage. This has led to a drive for advancements in tissue engineering. The variety of polymers and fabrication techniques available continues to expand. Pore size, porosity, biocompatibility, shape specificity, integration with native tissue, degradation tailored to rate of neocartilage formation and cost efficiency are important factors which need consideration in the development of a scaffold. The present review considers the current polymers and fabrication methodologies used in scaffold engineering for cartilage and postulates whether we are closer to developing the ideal scaffold for clinical application.
Raghunath
Joanne
J
Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering Centre, University Department of Surgery, University College London, Royal Free and University College Medical School, University College London, Rowland Hill Street, London NW3 2PF, UK.
Rollo
John
J
Sales
Kevin M
KM
Butler
Peter E
PE
Seifalian
Alexander M
AM
D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D040761:Biomimetic Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D002356:Cartilage / Q000166:cytology* / Q000254:growth & development*; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*
D001672:Biocompatible Materials