About this Research Topic
The major challenge in tissue engineering is the fabrication of 3D structures that control the cells attachment, growth and interconnection in 3D networks similar with those encountered in vivo. Each tissue poses its own shape and structure and, therefore, the 3D structures must have controllable and reproducible architectures that closely mimic the in vivo cellular environments. Custom-designed, reproducible structures are also required for in vitro studies in systematic conditions.
3D structures fabricated by conventional methods i.e. freeze-drying, gas foaming, electrospinning, thermal-induced phase separation, do not posses reproducible architectures, while the fabrication techniques are time consuming, expensive and sometimes use cytotoxic solvents. On the other side, rapid prototyping techniques are able to produce 3D structures with well-defined, reproducible architectures that sustain complex tissues regeneration processes. Laser-assisted techniques such as selective laser sintering, Laser Induced Forward Transfer, laser stereolithography and laser direct writing particularly emerge as versatile tools for the fabrication of 3D micro- and nanostructures with customized designs and high reproducibility, which overcome the limitations of structures fabricated by conventional techniques. However, the laser-fabricated structures still do not entirely reproduce the complexity of the in vivo environments, limiting the 3D inter-cellular connections and inducing the formation of necrotic cores.
Although laser-assisted fabrication of 3D structures that support the tissue regeneration has shown promising results, more efforts are needed for producing structures that accurately mimic the 3D cellular environments encountered in living tissues. This research topic aims to provide a collection of original high-quality research papers and comprehensive reviews addressing the state-of-the-art on recent developments of laser-assisted biomaterials processing for tissue engineering applications. Particular interest will be dedicated (but not limited) to laser-assisted fabrication of 3D biomimetic structures with reproducible architectures, for systematic studies of cell-structures interactions, as well as to laser-assisted fabrication of stimuli-responsive biomimetic 3D structures, for faster tissue regeneration under the action of mechanical, chemical, electric and/or magnetic stimuli. In all, this article collection will focus on covering the most recent advances on laser processing of biomaterials for fabricating 3D structures for tissue engineering and on expanding the applicability of advanced laser technologies in tissue engineering applications.
3D structures fabricated by conventional methods i.e. freeze-drying, gas foaming, electrospinning, thermal-induced phase separation, do not posses reproducible architectures, while the fabrication techniques are time consuming, expensive and sometimes use cytotoxic solvents. On the other side, rapid prototyping techniques are able to produce 3D structures with well-defined, reproducible architectures that sustain complex tissues regeneration processes. Laser-assisted techniques such as selective laser sintering, Laser Induced Forward Transfer, laser stereolithography and laser direct writing particularly emerge as versatile tools for the fabrication of 3D micro- and nanostructures with customized designs and high reproducibility, which overcome the limitations of structures fabricated by conventional techniques. However, the laser-fabricated structures still do not entirely reproduce the complexity of the in vivo environments, limiting the 3D inter-cellular connections and inducing the formation of necrotic cores.
Although laser-assisted fabrication of 3D structures that support the tissue regeneration has shown promising results, more efforts are needed for producing structures that accurately mimic the 3D cellular environments encountered in living tissues. This research topic aims to provide a collection of original high-quality research papers and comprehensive reviews addressing the state-of-the-art on recent developments of laser-assisted biomaterials processing for tissue engineering applications. Particular interest will be dedicated (but not limited) to laser-assisted fabrication of 3D biomimetic structures with reproducible architectures, for systematic studies of cell-structures interactions, as well as to laser-assisted fabrication of stimuli-responsive biomimetic 3D structures, for faster tissue regeneration under the action of mechanical, chemical, electric and/or magnetic stimuli. In all, this article collection will focus on covering the most recent advances on laser processing of biomaterials for fabricating 3D structures for tissue engineering and on expanding the applicability of advanced laser technologies in tissue engineering applications.
Keywords: Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Laser processing, 3D structures, Biomimetics, Biomaterials
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