Scaffolds implanted: what is next?

Abstract The past decade has witnessed huge advances in designing hybrid scaffolds for tissue engineering. Many novel technologies from synthetic biomaterial designs, scaffolds originated from extracellular components, biohybridization of naturally occurring glycolipids, proteins, and peptides with synthetic material to more futuristic technologies such as 3D printing have been advanced during this time. One aspect of some tissue-engineered scaffolds is partly attempting to provide the host niche with a functional part to replace a diseased or defunct tissue. Successful implantation requires the compatibility of the scaffold with the host immunity and functionally integrates with the body. In this chapter, we will first review the current understanding of the scaffold's interaction with the host immunity. We then will briefly introduce the concept of biointegration. Future developments in tissue engineering scaffolds are partly focused on the capability of implants to regulate the local immune response as well as their potential to integrate with the host's body.