Tailor-made biopolymers porous scaffold fabrication for tissue engineering: Application of radiant energy in the form of microwave under vacuum

Abstract

Many methods are available for developing three-dimensional porous scaffolds using various polymeric materials for tissue-engineering applications. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages. Some of the available methods and their limitations were discussed briefly. This paper focuses on the scope of novel technology called radiant energy application under vacuum for the fabrication of three-dimensional porous scaffolds for tissue engineering applications. Radiant energy application in the form of microwave under vacuum has been shown to develop and maintain the porous structure in fruits and vegetables after dehydration, which produced the microstructure similar to the freeze dried materials. Same principle of applying radiant energy under vacuum was used on the biopolymeric gels to create tailor-made, porous scaffolds for biomedical purposes. It has many advantages over the other existing methods of scaffold fabrication. This paper also reviews the scaffolds design recently fabricated by the authors using radiant energy under vacuum.