Tissue Engineering is based on a group of techniques for the reconstruction of new organs and tissues. Based on knowledge of materials science and engineering, biology and medicine, the technique involves the in vitro expansion of viable cells obtained from the patient on the polymeric scaffolds. The scaffold degrades while a new organ or tissue is formed. The poly(alpha-hydroxy acids) are the principal biodegradable and bioresorbable polymers used in tissue engineering. In developing and selecting bioresorbable scaffolds, the degradation time is fundamental for successful biocompatibility and biofuncionality. Hence, degradation studies often address variables such as the chemical composition, crystallinity, morphology of the scaffold and the processing of these materials. This paper reviews recent work in bioresorbable polymers used as scaffolds in the tissue engineering.
Tissue engineering; bioresorbable polymers; poly(alpha-hydroxy acids)
