Tissue Engineering of the Intervertebral Disc’s Annulus Fibrosus: A Scaffold-Based Review Study

Tissue engineering as a high technology solution for treating disc’s problem has been the focus of some researches recently; however, the upcoming successful results in this area depends on understanding the complexities of biology and engineering interface. Whereas the major responsibility of the nucleus pulposus is to provide a sustainable hydrated environment within the disc, the function of the annulus fibrosus (AF) is more mechanical, facilitating joint mobility and preventing radial bulging by confining of the central part, which makes the AF reconstruction important. Although the body of knowledge regarding the AF tissue engineering has grown rapidly, the opportunities to improve current understanding of how artificial scaffolds are able to mimic the AF concentric structure—including inter-lamellar matrix and cross-bridges—addressed unresolved research questions. The aim of this literature review was to collect and discuss, from the international scientific literature, information about tissue engineering of the AF based on scaffold fabrication and material properties, useful for developing new strategies in disc tissue engineering. The key parameter of this research was understanding if role of cross-bridges and inter-lamellar matrix has been considered on tissue engineering of the AF.