Fabricating biomimetic materials with ice-templating for biomedical applications.

The proper organization of cells and tissues is essential for their functionalization in living organisms. To create materials that mimic natural structures, researchers have developed techniques such as patterning, templating, and printing. Although these techniques own several advantages, these processes still involve complexity, are time-consuming, and have high cost. To better simulate natural materials with micro/nanostructures that have evolved for millions of years, the use of ice templates has emerged as a promising method for producing biomimetic materials more efficiently. This article explores the historical approaches taken to produce traditional biomimetic structural biomaterials and delves into the principles underlying the ice-template method and their various applications in the creation of biomimetic materials. It also discusses the most recent biomedical uses of biomimetic materials created via ice templates, including porous microcarriers, tissue engineering scaffolds, and smart materials. Finally, the challenges and potential of current ice-template technology are analyzed.

Informations de copyright

© 2023 The Authors. Smart Medicine published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH on behalf of Wenzhou Institute, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts

Hongbo Zhang is an executive editor for Smart Medicine and was not involved in the editorial review or the decision to publish this article. All authors declare that there are no competing interests.