A "structural scaffold" refers to a support or framework that is used to build or construct something. It provides a strong structure on which other parts or elements can be added or built upon. Full definition
As discovered by Robert Goldman, at Northwestern University in Chicago, the family of lamin proteins is involved in building and probably maintaining a mesh - like network of fibers, the nuclear lamina, that apparently serves as structural scaffolding inside the cell nucleus. (ellisonfoundation.org)
Working with an animal model, the researchers found that a type of cell present in the brain's primary processing area during early development, long thought to form structural scaffolding with no role in transmitting sensory information, may conduct such signals after all. (sciencedaily.com)
It's enough that the original provided most of the canny structural scaffolding (and an attractive turn by Tony Leung in the DiCaprio role). (reverseshot.org)