Which of the following does NOT describe a tissue engineered scaffold?

A tissue engineered scaffold is primarily designed to support the growth of cells and tissues, facilitating the integration and regeneration of natural tissue. One of the key characteristics of a scaffold is that it is typically temporary rather than permanent. This is because, after providing support for tissue formation, the scaffold is intended to be gradually resorbed or replaced by new, living tissue. The goal is for the engineered tissue to eventually function independently of the scaffold material.

In contrast, scaffolds are generally designed to be porous, allowing for nutrient and cell migration, and they can be made from either natural or synthetic materials, which can offer various properties suited for different applications. Additionally, scaffolds can be biomimetic, meaning they are designed to mimic the structure and function of natural extracellular matrices, enhancing their compatibility with native tissues. Because of these functions, describing a tissue engineered scaffold as permanent does not align with its intended purpose within tissue engineering.