Bilayered scaffolds for osteochondral tissue engineering

Tissue Eng Part B Rev. 2008 Dec;14(4):447-64. doi: 10.1089/ten.teb.2008.0327.

Abstract

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent degenerative joint disease that places a significant burden on the socioeconomic efficacy of communities around the world. Tissue engineering repair of articular cartilage in synovial joints represents a potential OA treatment strategy superior to current surgical techniques. In particular, osteochondral tissue engineering, which promotes the simultaneous regeneration of articular cartilage and underlining subchondral bone, may be a clinically relevant approach toward impeding OA progression. The unique and complex functional demands of the two contrasting tissues that comprise osteochondral tissue require the use of bilayered scaffolds to promote individual growth of both on a single integrated implant. This paper reviews the three current bilayered scaffold strategies applied to solve this challenging problem, with a focus on the need for an innovative approach to design and fabrication of new optimized scaffold combinations to reinforce materials science as an important element of osteochondral tissue engineering.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Absorbable Implants
  • Biocompatible Materials
  • Cartilage Diseases / pathology
  • Cartilage Diseases / physiopathology
  • Cartilage Diseases / surgery
  • Cartilage, Articular / cytology
  • Cartilage, Articular / pathology*
  • Cartilage, Articular / physiopathology
  • Cartilage, Articular / surgery*
  • Cell Division
  • Equipment Design
  • Humans
  • Joint Diseases / physiopathology
  • Joint Diseases / surgery
  • Joint Diseases / therapy*
  • Osteoarthritis / epidemiology
  • Osteoarthritis / surgery*
  • Osteochondritis / therapy*
  • Regeneration
  • Tissue Engineering / methods*
  • Tissue Scaffolds*
  • Wounds and Injuries / surgery
  • Wounds and Injuries / therapy

Substances

  • Biocompatible Materials