Development of scaffolds for tissue engineering using a 3D inkjet model maker

One of the major approaches in tissue engineering is the utilization of scaffold as a temporary template to support tissue ingrowth and to guide the organization of cells. As a result, scaffold technology is critical to ensure the success of this approach. Scaffold with intricate internal morphology can be achieved by the application of Rapid Prototyping (RP). In this project, a commercial RP system was employed to produce tissue-engineering scaffolds via an indirect method. This method offers great degree of design freedom compared to conventional as well as direct fabrication method. Material opportunity is significantly enhanced with this sacrificial mold method while enabling the utilization of natural biomaterial. Flow channels can be incorporated into the design to increase the nutrient diffusion rate through the scaffold.