Concepts of scaffold‐based tissue engineering—the rationale to use solid free‐form fabrication techniques

Abstract

Introduction Scaffolds for bone engineering fabricated by solid free‐form fabrication Scaffolds combined with growth factors and other biologically active molecules Accelerated bone repair with growth factors, HS and HS‐like molecules Conclusion A paradigm shift is taking place in orthopaedic and reconstructive surgery from using medical devices and tissue grafts to a tissue engineering approach that uses biodegradable scaffolds combined with cells or biological molecules to repair and/or regenerate tissues. One of the potential benefits offered by solid free‐form fabrication technology (SFF) is the ability to create scaffolds with highly reproducible architecture and compositional variation across the entire scaffold, due to its tightly controlled computer‐driven fabrication. In this review, we define scaffold properties and attempt to provide some broad criteria and constraints for scaffold design in bone engineering.We also discuss the application‐specific modifications driven by surgeon's requirements in vitro and/or in vivo. Next, we review the current use of SFF techniques in scaffold fabrication in the context of their clinical use in bone regeneration. Lastly, we comment on future developments in our groups, such as the functionalization of novel composite scaffolds with combinations of growth factors; and more specifically the promising area of heparan sulphate polysaccaride immobilization within the bone tissue engineering arena.