Open-source library of tissue engineering scaffolds

Abstract

Tissue engineering as a field may benefit from progressively implementing and spreading the use of standards, conceived to support the repeatability, replicability and efficient comparing of research results among experts in the field worldwide. Considering that scaffolds play a fundamental role in many tissue engineering strategies, it would be interesting to count with an internationally accepted set of geometries, acting as a library of lattices, porous materials and scaffolding structures, which could be employed for comparative purposes among materials and manufacturing technologies under development. To this end, an open-source library of tissue engineering scaffolds has been implemented. This library stands out for providing a comprehensive collection of scaffolds blueprints, designed considering the specific features of most additive manufacturing technologies applicable to tissue engineering and biofabrication. Besides, the library has been developed focusing on FAIR data principles along the development, for promoting: Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability and Reusability. The scaffolds are shared as open-source medical devices with the necessary documentation for facilitating their application. Similar initiatives may be synergically integrated towards an ISO standard on tissue engineering scaffolds.

Keywords

• Tissue engineering
• Biofabrication
• Additive manufacturing
• Virtual and rapid prototyping
• Open-source medical devices
• Biomaterials