Figure 3
From: Bone Regeneration Based on Tissue Engineering Conceptions — A 21st Century Perspective
Schematic illustrating the interdependence of molecular weight loss and mass loss of a slow-degrading composite scaffold plotted against time, which corresponds with tissue regeneration. Scaffold, as shown by SEM (A) is implanted at t = 0 (B) with lower figures (C-E) showing a conceptual illustration of the biological processes of bone formation over time. The scaffold is immediate filled with a hematoma on implantation (C) followed by vascularization (D) and gradually new bone is formed within the scaffold (E). As the scaffold degrades over time there is increased bone remodeling within the implant site until eventually the scaffold pores are entirely filled with functional bone and vascularity. SEM of scaffold degraded over time (G) with associated schematic visualization of how mPCL-TCP scaffolds degrade via long-term bioerosion process, which takes up to 36 months in vivo (h). Reproduced with permission from (80), © Elsevier Ltd 2012.
