ABSTRACT
Numerous methods have been developed and adapted into the fabrication process of micro- and nanopatterned scaffolds and have created patterned scaffolds that have demonstrated great potential in tissue engineering. Soft lithographic and conventional photolithographic methods can be used to fabricate microfluidic channels and scaffolds for tissue engineering conveniently, rapidly, and inexpensively. Pioneering work by the Griffith, Bhatia, Toner laboratories first explored microscale technologies as a platform for tissue engineering. As electrospun poly(epsilon-caprolactone) showed much slower degradation rate, it had been considered another class of biodegradable polymer that is suitable for tissue engineering. Nanotechnology has also shown great potential in neural tissue engineering, cardiovascular tissue regeneration, retina regeneration, and even medical adhesives. Nanotechnology had also been applied in cardiovascular tissue engineering to accommodate the complex properties and features of myocardium and valvular tissues. One of the largest expenses in health care is devoted toward the treatment of loss of tissue and end-stage organ failure.
