A Brief Review of the Modelling of the Time Dependent Mechanical Properties of Tissue Engineering Scaffolds

Abstract

The functionality of tissue scaffolds in vivo plays a critical role in the treatment process. Due to the time dependent nature of the mechanical properties of the constituent phases of the scaffold, a wide range of mechanical property histories may be observed during the treatment process, possibly influencing outcomes. The critical nature of the mechanical properties in load bearing applications indicates a need for the simultaneous modelling of both scaffold degradation and tissue regeneration with time, and the resulting effective properties of the tissue engineering construct. To this end, a review of the literature is conducted to identify the various existing approaches to modelling scaffold degradation, tissue behavior, and the dependency of the two processes on one another.

Fiber-reinforced scaffolds in soft tissue engineering

“…Both gelatin and alginate are inexpensive, non-immunogenic and readily available natural polymers. The elastic modulus of the composite at 0.45–0.5 MPa was very close to that of natural cornea at 4.9–0.579 MPa [ 24 , 93 , 94 ]. In addition, optical transparency was also desirable, because the diameter of the uniformed gelatin fibers was relatively small at 67 ± 7 nm when compared with the visible wavelength at 400–700 nm.…”

Unraveling the mechanical strength of biomaterials used as a bone scaffold in oral and maxillofacial defects

“…Hence, the mechanical properties play an important role in their in vivo performance []. Mechanical properties of a scaffold are expected to match with the native tissues to be repaired []. After fabrication, it is necessary to characterize the mechanical properties of the scaffolds before their implantation to make certain the appropriate performance; if not, the implanted scaffold may not succeed in the following repair processes [,].…”

Effect of Nanoparticle Incorporation and Surface Coating on Mechanical Properties of Bone Scaffolds: A Brief Review

“…Mechanical properties of a scaffold play an important role on its in vivo performance after implantation, due to the fact that implanted scaffolds are typically subjected to different mechanical stresses including compression, tension, torsion, and shearing [ 1 ]. It is expected that the mechanical properties of a scaffold match with the ones of the native tissue to be repaired [ 1 , 2 ]. Toward this end, it is imperative to characterize the mechanical properties of scaffolds after their fabrication and before their implantation to ensure the appropriate performance [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]; otherwise, the implanted scaffold may not be succeeding in the following repair process.…”