The use of natural materials in scaffolds has its disadvantages. Usually, they are expensive, not available in large quantities and they have the risk of disease transmission. This has led to the development of synthetic scaffolds.
When producing synthetic scaffolds there is full control over their properties. For example, they can be made to have good mechanical properties and the right biodegradability. When it comes to synthetic scaffolds thickness, porosity and pore size are important factors for controlling connective tissue formation. 
Examples of synthetic scaffolds are:
* Polyethylene terephthalate membranes (PET membranes)
* Polycarbonate-permeable membranes (PC membranes)
* Porous polylactic glycolic acid (PLGA)
Historical use of electrospinning to produce synthetic scaffolds dates back to at least the late 1980s when Simon showed that technology could be used to produce nano- and submicron-scale fibrous scaffolds from polymer solutions specifically intended for use as in vitro cell and tissue substrates. This early use of electrospun lattices for cell culture and tissue engineering showed that various cell types would adhere to and proliferate upon polycarbonate fibers. It was noted that as opposed to the flattened morphology typically seen in 2D culture, cells grown on the electrospun fibers exhibited a more rounded 3-dimensional morphology generally observed of tissues in vivo.