Cell-interactive polymers for tissue engineering

Tissue engineering is one exciting approach to treat patients who need a new organ or tissue. A critical element in this approach is the polymer scaffold, as it provides a space for new tissue formation and mimics many roles of natural extracellular matrices. In this review, we describe several design parameters of polymer matrices that can significantly affect cellular behavior, as well as various polymers which are frequently used to date or potentially useful in many tissue engineering applications. Interactions between cells and polymer scaffolds, including specific receptor-ligand interactions, physical and degradation feature of the scaffolds, and delivery of soluble factors, should be considered in the design and tailoring of appropriate polymer matrices to be used in tissue engineering applications, as these interactions control the function and structure of engineered tissues.