Responsive and in situ-forming chitosan scaffolds for bone tissue engineering applications: an overview of the last decade

The use of bioabsorbable polymeric scaffolds is being investigated for use in bone tissue engineering applications, as their properties can be tailored to allow them to degrade and integrate at optimal rates as bone remodelling is completed. The main goal of this review is to highlight the ‘‘intelligent’’ properties exhibited by chitosan scaffolds and their use in the bone tissue engineering field. To complement the fast evolution of the bone tissue engineering field, it is important to propose the use of responsive scaffolds and take advantage of bioinspired materials and their properties as emerging technologies. There is a growing interest and need for new biomaterials, such as ‘‘smart’’/responsive materials with the capability to respond to changes in the in vivo environment. This review will provide an overview of strategies that can modulate bone tissue regeneration by using in situ-forming scaffolds.