Bioscaffold Types
What are typical types of
bioscaffolds?
There are four main construction
materials for bioscaffolds:
Each is specialized for the area of
implementation and intended purpose. Natural polymer based scaffolds are usually made of collagen, fibrin, or other
biologically derived materials. They can be implemented in most areas
of regeneration but are mainly utilized in cartilage growth. Limitations include the low supply of natural polymers and the extensive processes of
collection and sterilization. Synthetic based polymer scaffolds are composed of polymers such as poly(lactic
acid) (PLA), poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA), and polyethylene glycol (PEG). These materials can be easily synthesized and have well defined
characteristics. They can also be linked together to yield desirable
properties, making them ideal for most biological applications. Hydrogels are covalently crosslinked hydrophilic polymer matrices which swell when
introduced to water. This allows for the incorporation of cells into
the material which can be encapsulated along with various growth and binding factors. This type of bioscaffold is most useful in cartilage regeneration when constructed with
synthetic polymers. Unfortunately, the toxicity of the crosslinks is
of concern as well as the lack of degradability in commonly used polymers. The last type of bioscaffold, the composite based scaffold, is the combination of any of
the previously stated methods as well as other available alternatives. This allows for optimum efficiency as the best attributes of different materials can be
utilized together in a single structure. This approach can be used in
most areas of regeneration and has less limitations than the other methods.
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