Microfluidic bioscaffolds for regenerative engineering
Wantao Zhuge, Han Liu, Wuyuan Wang, Jie Wang
Abstract
The construction of biological scaffolds in vitro plays an important role in regenerative engineering, which has always been the focus of research. The application of scaffold materials combined with cells/bioactive factors is considered to have great potential for tissue regeneration. Various strategies have been used for constructing biological scaffolds, including electrospinning/spraying, direct laser writing, solvent casting, and microfluidic technology. Among them, considering the advantages of the safety, low cost, and highly controllable processing characteristics, microfluidic technology has become a promising method for the construction of biological scaffolds. This review overviews the recent research progress of microfluidic bioscaffolds for regenerative engineering. Firstly, we introduce some typical natural polymers which are widely used to construct bioscaffolds. Then, the bioscaffolds with different structures templated by microfluidic droplets and fibers are described. Furtherly, we talk about the different applications of microfluidic bioscaffolds in wound healing, drug delivery, bone regeneration, and nerve regeneration. Finally, the challenges and future prospects of the development of microfluidic bioscaffolds for regenerative engineering are discussed.