Scaffold fabrication techniques thermally induced phase separation

Human osteoblast-like MG63 cells were cultured on the macroporous chitosan scaffolds reinforced with hydroxyapatite or calcium phosphate invert glass were fabricated using a thermally induced phase separation technique. 

Another scaffold fabrication technique is thermally induced phase separation (TIPS) [34,46,84,147-149]. TIPS involves decreasing the temperature of a polymer solution to obtain a polymer-rich and polymer-poor phase. Following phase separation, the solvent is removed using one of a number of methods (freeze drying, evaporation) resulting in the formation of pores in the polymer stracture. TIPS can also be combined with the use of porogens to increase void fraction, have better control over pore size, or improve pore interconnectivity. 

Yoshikawa and Myoui (2005) reported interconnected porous HA fabricated via a process called form-jel, a technique which creates a scaffold with an excellent vascular network ample for blood supply, an aspect of bone regeneration. It serves as a good scaffold for the delivery of cytokines, which enhance bone tissue formation in defect sites. The use of poly(L-lactic acid)/HA composite scaffold for bone tissue engineering synthesized via a thermally induced phase separation technique records a... 

There are mainly four fabrication techniques that can produce 3-D composite scaffolds with highly interconnected pores thermally induced phase separation, solvent casting, rapid prototyping, and microsphere sintering. 

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