Progress in the Field of Electrospinning for Tissue Engineering Applications

TLDR

Electrospinning is a promising, scalable method for creating tissue‑engineering scaffolds that mimic extracellular matrix fibrillar structures, offering large surface area, functionalization, and tunable mechanics while addressing challenges such as cell penetration, growth‑factor incorporation, solvent toxicity, productivity, and functional gradients. This article reviews progress in electrospinning for tissue engineering, focusing on major challenges and available solutions. The authors synthesize recent advances by analyzing solutions to challenges like cell penetration, growth‑factor delivery, solvent toxicity, productivity, and functional gradient design. Electrospinning for tissue engineering has made impressive progress.

Abstract

Abstract Electrospinning is an extremely promising method for the preparation of tissue engineering (TE) scaffolds. This technique provides nonwovens resembling in their fibrillar structures those of the extracellular matrix (ECM), and offering large surface areas, ease of functionalization for various purposes, and controllable mechanical properties. The recent developments toward large‐scale productions combined with the simplicity of the process render this technique very attractive. Progress concerning the use of electrospinning for TE applications has advanced impressively. Different groups have tackled the problem of electrospinning for TE applications from different angles. Nowadays, electrospinning of the majority of biodegradable and biocompatible polymers, either synthetic or natural, for TE applications is straightforward. Different issues, such as cell penetration, incorporation of growth and differentiating factors, toxicity of solvents used, productivity, functional gradient, etc. are main points of current considerations. The progress in the use of electrospinning for TE applications is highlighted in this article with focus on major problems encountered and on various solutions available until now.