Types of bioengineered scaffold
This is a very active field of research and development, and the main groups of materials include -
- Synthetic scaffolds, eg polyurethane
- Hydrogel scaffolds, eg synthetic materials such as poly N-isopropyl acrylamide, or natural materials such as alginate.
- Extracellular matrix (ECM) component scaffolds, formed primarily from a macromolecule abundant in native matrix, eg collagen meniscus implants or hyaluronan scaffolds.
- Tissue-derived scaffolds include processed whole tissue such as small intestinal submucosa, decellularised tissue or extracellular matrix, and silk