Biomimetic scaffolds: implications for craniofacial regeneration.

With the advancement in stem cell research and material science, tissue regeneration has been evolved from scientific hypothesis to clinical reality and thus will have a great potential in regenerating craniofacial tissue. In this approach, scaffold plays an essential role in tissue regeneration by recruiting host regenerative cells or enhancing adhesion, proliferation and matrix production of seeded cells, and eventual formation of the desired tissue type. Moreover, incorporation of biomimesis concept into scaffold design and manufacture will further enhance the quality and function of regenerated tissues. This article summarizes new developments of biomimetic scaffolds including the biomimesis of extracellular matrix, cell-matrix interaction, and tissue-regenerative signaling.