Computer‐aided tissue engineering: overview, scope and challenges

Abstract

Advances in computer‐aided technology and its application with biology, engineering and information science to tissue engineering have evolved a new field of computer‐aided tissue engineering (CATE). This emerging field encompasses computer‐aided design (CAD), image processing, manufacturing and solid free‐form fabrication (SFF) for modelling, designing, simulation and manufacturing of biological tissue and organ substitutes. The present Review describes some salient advances in this field, particularly in computer‐aided tissue modeling, computer‐aided tissue informatics and computer‐aided tissue scaffold design and fabrication. Methodologies of development of CATE modelling from high‐resolution non‐invasive imaging and image‐based three‐dimensional reconstruction, and various reconstructive techniques for CAD‐based tissue modelling generation will be described. The latest development in SFF to tissue engineering and a framework of bio‐blueprint modelling for three‐dimensional cell and organ printing will also be introduced.