Tissue engineering scaffolds are designed to mimic physical, chemical, and biological features of the extracellular matrix, thereby providing a constant support that is crucial to improved regenerative medicine outcomes. Beyond mechanical and structur...
Tissue engineering scaffolds are designed to mimic physical, chemical, and biological features of the extracellular matrix, thereby providing a constant support that is crucial to improved regenerative medicine outcomes. Beyond mechanical and structural support, the next generation of these materials must also consider the more dynamic presentation and delivery of drugs or growth factors to guide new and regenerating tissue development. These two aspects are explored expansively separately, but they must interact synergistically to achieve optimal regeneration. This review explores common tissue engineering materials types, electrospun polymers and hydrogels, and strategies used for incorporating drug delivery systems into these scaffolds.
Tissue engineering materials need to be able to provide ongoing structural support as well as dynamically controlled drug delivery for optimal therapeutic outcomes. Electrospun and hydrogel materials are popular tissue engineering scaffolds for providing structural support, and this Progress Report explores the pros and cons of different drug delivery systems being developed for use in these materials.