Effect of scaffold architecture on tissue regeneration

As a fast developing technology for tissue engineering, scaffolding has drawn tremendous attention in the recent years. Experiments have consistently demonstrated a significant role of mechanical stimuli on the process of tissue regeneration. However, the relationship between tissue ingrowth and scaffold architecture remains inconclusive. It is of great importance to understand how scaffold provides a proper biomechanical environment, thereby affecting the tissue differentiation and growth. In this regard, this paper investigates some examples of tissue regeneration based on a mechanobiological model within different scaffold architectures. Optimal base-cell topologies of scaffold are sought for a range of effective permeability and stiffness criteria, in which a so-called inverse homogenization technique is applied. Based on the obtained optimal architecture, simulation of tissue regeneration is conducted. It is found that, the remodeling pathway and neo-tissue formation could be distinct when the scaffold structures vary. It is revealed that, as the key factors of scaffold properties, the interplay between stiffness and permeability could be more influential in affecting the tissue regeneration process. The numerical results presented in this paper help us better understand the mechanisms of skeletal mechanobiology and, more importantly, bring significant insights into the design optimization of tissue scaffold for solid free-form fabrication (SFF).