Microfluidic fabrication of microengineered hydrogels and their application in tissue engineering

Abstract

Microfluidic technologies are emerging as an enabling tool for various applications in tissue engineering and cell biology. One emerging use of microfluidic systems is the generation of shape-controlled hydrogels (i.e., microfibers, microparticles, and hydrogel building blocks) for various biological applications. Furthermore, the microfluidic fabrication of cell-laden hydrogels is of great benefit for creating artificial scaffolds. In this paper, we review the current development of microfluidic-based fabrication techniques for the creation of fibers, particles, and cell-laden hydrogels. We also highlight their emerging applications in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.