Introduction and Literature Review

For an ideal scaffolding material, properties are required that include biocompatibility, suitable microstructure, desired mechanical strength and degradation rate as well as most importantly the ability to support cell residence and allow retention of metabolic functions. Numerous strategies currently used to engineer tissues depend on employing a material scaffold. These scaffolds serve as a synthetic extracellular matrix (ECM) to organize cells into a 3D architecture and to present stimuli, which direct the growth and formation of a desired tissue. Depending on the tissue of interest and the specific application, the required scaffold material and its properties will be quite different.