Thermally-Induced Self-Agglomeration: Method and First Approaches to the Structural, Mechanical and Biological Characterization of Nanofiber Scaffolds

The production of extracellular matrix (ECM) - like scaffolds for bone regeneration has been a topic of interest in the field of bone tissue engineering in recent years. Nanofiber structures stand out in terms of morphological similarity with the ECM structure. However, the nanofibrous membranes produced by electrospinning do not have sufficient thickness for clinical applications such as bone regeneration and cannot support cell growth sufficiently due to their structural properties. To mitigate this issue, three-dimensional (3D) nanofiber-based scaffolds made of short-nanofiber membranes are an emerging research topic in the field of bone tissue engineering, as they can present higher porosity and more appropriate mechanical properties. In this review, the details of the thermally-induced self-agglomeration (TISA) method for 3D nanofiber-based scaffold fabrication are discussed, together with its development for scaffold production, characterization, and biological applications. This review is expected to provide helpful guidance for future studies in designing 3D fiber scaffolds with the TISA method.