ABSTRACT
Keywords: tissue engineering, biocompatible materials, biomimetic scaffolds, electrospinning, biodegradability, synthetic polymers, coatings, implants, poly-L-lactic acid, poly-caprolactone, polyaniline, polypyrrole, scaffold design, hydroxyapatite, extracellular matrix, bioactive, laminated object manufacturing, solvent casting, gas foaming, phase separation, laser assisted bioprinting, stereolithography, 3D printing, fused deposition modeling, nanotubes, nanofibers, hydrogel, electrospray, composite scaffolds, biomineralization, nanocomposites
capabilities evolve. Nowhere is this more evident than in tissue repair and organ regeneration [3, 33]. Currently, the treatment of defects and injury to tissues with limited regenerative capacity, such as cartilage, vasculature, cardiac tissue, and nerves involve highly invasive and painful procedures, such as a total hip or knee replacement. In many of the cases listed, there are inadequate alternative treatment methods available other than traditional organ/tissue transplants, which contain their own inherent complications. In recent years, a great deal of research has focused on the treatment of traumatic and congenital injuries via stem cell therapy [25, 79, 97]. Despite the great promise stem cells hold in regenerative medicine, long-term clinical success has been limited when they are not used in conjunction with other treatment methods.
