Bioengineered Extracellular Matrix Scaffolds

Abstract

The extracellular matrix (ECM) is not merely a structural scaffold -- it is an instructive microenvironment that guides cell behaviour through biochemical signals (growth factor sequestration, integrin ligands), biophysical cues (stiffness, topography, porosity), and dynamic remodelling (MMP-mediated degradation, cross-linking). Bioengineered ECM scaffolds aim to recapitulate these properties using synthetic polymers, natural biopolymers, or decellularised tissue matrices, combined with bioactive functionalisation to direct cell adhesion, proliferation, migration, and differentiation. We present the ECM Scaffold Assessment Framework (ESAF), evaluating five scaffold platforms - collagen-glycosaminoglycan sponges, electrospun nanofibre matrices, decellularised tissue ECM, self-assembling peptide hydrogels, and recombinant protein engineered matrices -- across four regenerative applications (dermal wound healing, osteochondral repair, peripheral nerve regeneration, and skeletal muscle reconstruction). Our ECM Scaffold Performance Score (ESPS) measures structural biomimicry, bioactive signalling capacity, mechanical match to target tissue, degradation-regeneration synchronisation, and clinical translatability. Decellularised tissue ECM achieves the highest ESPS (0.922) through preservation of native tissue-specific composition and architecture, while recombinant protein matrices achieve the highest design precision (0.960) through genetically encoded bioactive domains with batch-to-batch reproducibility