Indirect fabrication of gelatin scaffolds using rapid prototyping technology

Scaffold-based tissue engineering strategies often face the problem of tissues forming only within the periphery layers of the scaffold due to mass transfer issues. In the present study, we attempt to overcome this limitation by incorporating a three-dimensional (3D) interconnected network of channels within the scaffold as part of the fabrication process so as to enhance nutrient delivery and cell migration. A scaffold material with the ability to foam was also used in conjunction with this process in order to produce highly interconnected pores within the scaffold. This article describes the developmental process of an indirect fabrication approach which involves the application of rapid prototyping (RP) technology as well as the use of a foaming scaffold material to produce highly and uniformly porous scaffolds with complex channel architectures. Finally, cytotoxicity assessment confirmed that the multiple steps involved in the fabrication process did not induce toxicity within the scaffold.