Progress of Degradable Synthetic Polymers in Adipose Tissue Engineering-A Review

Breast cancer stands as the foremost prevalent malignancy affecting women worldwide. The restoration of soft tissue volume is often necessary in cases of soft tissue loss, such as burn defects, surgical area defects, or posttumor resection defects, particularly in breast cancers. Conventional surgeries interventions, such as flap transplantation, can result in various complications and malformations, while prosthesis implantation may not be suitable due to skin weakness caused by radiation therapy. Autologous fat transplantation to the breast exhibits limited efficacy due to the unpredictable of resorption and low graft survival rates. Tissue engineering has emerged as a promising field offering novel therapeutic possibilities in regenerative medicine over the past two decades. Extensive exploration has been conducted on synthetic materials for adipose tissue engineering applications. This review delineates the current advancements and future directions in adipose tissue engineering strategies, cell applications, adipogenesismechanisms, and key factors, while focusing on the utilization of degradable synthetic polymers and the integration of 3D printing technologies.