Biomaterials and scaffolds in bone and musculoskeletal engineering.

In orthopaedic tissue engineering, scaffolds may be viewed as a substitute for the extra-cellular matrix. Factors that contribute to an ideal scaffold include strength, degradation rate, porosity, surface property and immune response.Scaffolds may be composed of natural or synthetic polymers, each with its advantages and disadvantages. Composite scaffolds are utilised to alleviate the inherent issues with natural polymers whilst maintaining its benefits as well. This article reviews biomaterials and scaffolds in orthopaedic tissue engineering and covers clinical applications of scaffolds with particular emphasis on bone and cartilage tissue engineering.