Biodegradable Scaffolds in Tissue Engineering

Abstract

Biodegradable scaffolds are critical components in tissue engineering, designed to support regenerative processes by providing a biomimetic microenvironment that facilitates cellular adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation. This review comprehensively discusses the material properties, fabrication techniques, and tissue-specific applications of biodegradable scaffolds. Both natural (e.g., collagen, gelatin, alginate) and synthetic (e.g., PLA, PLGA, PCL) polymers are employed either individually or in composite forms to balance biological compatibility with mechanical integrity, allowing for scaffold designs tailored to the distinct needs of various tissues such as bone, cartilage, skin, and gingiva. The article highlights that scaffolds are not merely passive structural supports but also active regenerative platforms through the controlled delivery of biological agents such as growth factors, antibiotics, and chemotherapeutic drugs. Advanced fabrication techniques, including electrospinning and 3D bioprinting, enable precise control over drug release kinetics and scaffold architecture, thus enhancing therapeutic outcomes while minimizing systemic toxicity. Scaffold-based delivery systems have demonstrated significant promise in critical clinical contexts, including cancer therapy, wound healing, and infection control. In conclusion, biodegradable scaffolds represent multifunctional biomaterials capable of guiding cellular and molecular events during tissue regeneration. Future developments are expected to focus on smart, stimuli-responsive polymers, spatiotemporal growth factor release, and personalized scaffold fabrication to further enhance their translational potential in clinical regenerative medicine.

Keywords

• Biodegradable scaffolds
• Tissue engineering
• Biomaterial design
• Controlled drug release

Doku Mühendisliğinde Biyobozunur İskeleler

Abstract

Biyobozunur doku iskeleleri (scaffoldlar), doku mühendisliğinde rejeneratif süreçleri desteklemek amacıyla geliştirilmiş kritik biyomalzemelerdir. Bu derleme, hücresel tutunma, proliferasyon ve farklılaşmayı destekleyen biyomimetik mikroçevreler oluşturan biyobozunur iskelelerin malzeme özellikleri, üretim yöntemleri ve dokuya özgü uygulamalarını kapsamlı şekilde ele almaktadır. Doğal (kolajen, jelatin, alginat) ve sentetik (PLA, PLGA, PCL) polimerlerin tekil veya kompozit formlarda kullanımı, biyolojik uyum ile mekanik dayanım arasında denge kurmayı mümkün kılmakta ve farklı doku türlerine özel scaffold tasarımlarına olanak tanımaktadır. Kemik, kıkırdak, deri ve gingival dokular gibi hedef dokuların kendine özgü biyomekanik ve hücresel gereksinimleri doğrultusunda, iskelelerin porozitesi, bozunma profili, elastikiyeti ve yük taşıma kapasitesi optimize edilmektedir. Makale, scaffoldların yalnızca geçici yapısal destek sunan pasif platformlar değil, aynı zamanda büyüme faktörleri, antibiyotikler ve kemoterapötik ajanlar gibi biyolojik yüklerin kontrollü salımı yoluyla aktif rejeneratif modüller olduğunu vurgulamaktadır. Özellikle elektrospinning ve 3D biyobasım gibi ileri üretim teknikleri, hedefe yönelik ilaç iletimini ve biyolojik mikroçevreyi hassas şekilde düzenleme potansiyeli sunmaktadır. Scaffold tabanlı ilaç salım sistemleri, kanser tedavisi, yara iyileşmesi ve enfeksiyon kontrolü gibi kritik klinik alanlarda terapötik etkinliği artırmakta ve sistemik toksisiteyi azaltmaktadır. Sonuç olarak, biyobozunur doku iskeleleri, hücresel ve moleküler düzeyde yenilenme süreçlerini yönlendiren akıllı biyomalzeme sistemleri olarak öne çıkmaktadır. Gelecekte uyaran-duyarlı polimerler, çoklu büyüme faktörü salımı ve kişiselleştirilmiş scaffold üretimi gibi yaklaşımlarla, bu yapıların klinik translasyon potansiyelinin daha da artması beklenmektedir.

Keywords

• Biyobozunur doku iskeleleri
• Doku mühendisliği
• Biyomalzeme tasarımı
• Kontrollü ilaç salımı

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