In scaffold fabrication, the extracellular matrix (ECM) has always received considerable attention among researchers because of its high biological compatibility, biological degradability, and the possibility of rapid remodeling in vivo. Hence, the utilized scaffold should meet specific chemical, mechanical, and physical requirements to achieve cell diffusion and 3D tissues formation. This degradability property of the scaffold obviates the need to remove the material later and thus, eliminates the side effects resulted from foreign materials left in the body. During the cell regeneration, the scaffold temporarily help in cell regeneration and gradually biodegrades either in the course of the healing process or after, and a new tissue with a desired shape and properties is produced. Currently, artificial scaffolds have been applied and used as a supporting structure for cell cultures and domination of cell growth in repair of impaired tissues or organs. The conventional method of tissue regeneration and healing is the auto graft method and is mainly dependent on the availability of donor tissues, coupled with other additional effects such as pain and risks to patients such as donor tissue morbidity and infectious diseases. In summary, TE refers to restoration, improvement, and maintenance of damaged tissues caused by various factors such as disease, injury, or congenital disabilities. The term “tissue engineering” (TE) was initially introduced by Professor Robert Nerem in 1988 at UCLA Symposia on Molecular and Cellular Biology, where a comprehensive definition of TE was given as the application of life sciences and engineering to develop a basic understanding of the functional and structural relationships of natural and pathologic mammalian tissues and the development of biosubstitutes that can be utilized to restore, maintain, or improve tissues damaged or lost by various disease conditions. Additionally, this study provides an excellent review of original numerical approaches focused on mechanical characteristics that can be helpful in the scaffold design assessment in the analysis of scaffold parameters in tissue engineering. To figure out, the highlighted aspects aimed to define the advancements and challenges that should be addressed in the scaffold design for tissue engineering. The benefits and drawbacks of each of the fabrication techniques have been described in conjunction with current areas of research devoted to deal with some of the challenges. These TE fabrication techniques are applied in the scaffold building which later on are used in tissue and organ structure. According to the previous literature and this review, the scaffold fabrication techniques can be classified into two main categories: conventional and modern techniques. TE is multidisciplinary that combines biology, biochemistry, clinical medicine, and materials science whose application in cellular systems such as organ transplantation serves as a delivery vehicle for cells and drug. In almost all the reviewed reports, the TE definition denotes renewal, development, and repairs of damaged tissues caused by various factors such as disease, injury, or congenital disabilities.
Scaffold properties and features in TE, biological aspects, scaffold material composition, scaffold structural requirements, and old and current manufacturing technologies were reported and discussed. In this review paper, the definition of the tissue engineering (TE) was comprehensively explored towards scaffold fabrication techniques and applications.