Current strategies of tissue engineering are focused on the reconstruction and regeneration of damaged or deformed tissues by grafting of cells with scaffolds and biomolecules. Recently, much interest is given to scaffolds which are based on mimic the extracellular matrix that have induced the formation of new tissues. To return functionality of the organ, the presence of a scaffold is essential as a matrix for cell colonization, migration, growth, differentiation and extracellular matrix deposition, until the tissues are totally restored or regenerated. A wide variety of approaches has been developed either in scaffold materials and production procedures or cell sources and cultivation techniques to regenerate the tissues/organs in tissue engineering applications. This study has been conducted to present an overview of the different scaffold fabrication techniques such as solvent casting and particulate leaching, electrospinning, emulsion freeze-drying, thermally induced phase separation, melt molding and rapid prototyping with their properties, limitations, theoretical principles and their prospective in tailoring appropriate micro-nanostructures for tissue regeneration applications. This review also includes discussion on recent works done in the field of tissue engineering.
Keywords: 2D: Tow-dimension; 3D: Three-dimension; 3DP: Three-Dimensional printing; AC: Azodicarbonamide; BA: Blowing agent; CAD: Computer aided design; ECM: Extracellular matrix; ES: Electrospinning; FDM: Fused deposition modeling; HA: Hydroxyapatite; HFP: Hexafluoro-2-propanol; IM/PL: Injection molding/particulate leaching; NSF: Nanofibrous silk fibroin; NaCl: Sodium chloride; PCL: Poly (ε-caprolactone); PDOCL: Poly (dioxanone-b-caprolactone) co-polymer; PEG: Poly (ethylene glycol); PEI: Poly-(ethyleneimine); PGA: Poly (glycolic acid); PGD: Poly (glycerol-dodecanedioate); PGMA: Poly (glycidyl methacrylate); PHB: Poly hydroxyl butyrate; PHBV: Poly (hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate); PLA: Poly (lactic acid); PLGA: Poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid); PPF: Poly (propylene fumarate); PUA: Polyurethane acrylate; PVA: Poly (vinyl alcohol); PVP: Poly (N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone); RP: Rapid prototyping; SC/PL: Solvent casting and particulate leaching; SFF: Solid freeform fabrication; SLA: Stereolithography; SLS: Selective laser sintering; SLUP: Salt leaching using powder; TCP: Tricalcium phosphate; TIPS: Thermally induced phase separation; TMC: Trimethylene carbonate; Tf: Freezing temperature; Tissue engineering; biomaterials; cell proliferation; fabrication methods; porous scaffolds.