Recent trends and challenges in computer-aided design of additive manufacturing-based biomimetic scaffolds and bioartificial organs

Abstract

Advances introduced by additive manufacturing (AM) methods referred to as solid freedom fabrication (SFF) or rapid prototyping (RP) methods have significantly improved the ability to fabricate porous scaffold structures close in architectures to biological tissues. These technologies have led to the development of innovative porous scaffolds and spatially complex artificial tissues. However, the current approaches face many challenges, such as the lack of an effective design software for printing and prototyping of tissues and scaffolds. In this article, a brief overview of the recent trends and challenges in computer-aided tissue engineering is provided. Future directions are also suggested in order to discuss the challenging technological barriers and provide the overall feasibility of prototyping and printing of biomimetic scaffolds and bioartificial tissues or organs.