Author:

Keywords:

Science & Technology, Life Sciences & Biomedicine, Cell & Tissue Engineering, Cell Biology, BIODEGRADABLE POLYMER SCAFFOLDS, CELL TRANSPLANTATION, ACID), FOAMS, MATRICES, CULTURE, GROWTH, Animals, Biocompatible Materials, Extracellular Matrix, Humans, Tissue Engineering, 0601 Biochemistry and Cell Biology, 0903 Biomedical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering

Abstract:

In tissue engineering, a highly porous artificial extracellular matrix or scaffold is required to accommodate mammalian cells and guide their growth and tissue regeneration in three dimensions. However, existing three-dimensional scaffolds for tissue engineering proved less than ideal for actual applications, not only because they lack mechanical strength, but they also do not guarantee interconnected channels. In this paper, the authors analyze the factors necessary to enhance the design and manufacture of scaffolds for use in tissue engineering in terms of materials, structure, and mechanical properties and review the traditional scaffold fabrication methods. Advantages and limitations of these traditional methods are also discussed.