Fabrication and application of polycaprolactone-based composite scaffolds in tissue engineering: A review
Wang Y. Zhang W. Karamergenova A. Lin L.
December 2025Elsevier Ltd
Materials Today Communications
2025#49
Poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) is a widely used biodegradable polymer in tissue engineering due to its excellent biocompatibility, processability, and mechanical tunability. However, its clinical translation is limited by inherent drawbacks such as hydrophobicity, low bioactivity, and slow degradation. This review aims to provide a comprehensive and critical evaluation of PCL-based scaffolds, focusing on fabrication strategies, composite modifications, and their performance across diverse tissue engineering applications. Four primary fabrication techniques—electrospinning, 3D printing, freeze-drying, and phase separation—are systematically compared in terms of structural characteristics, mechanical performance, scalability, and biological functionality. Various material modifications involving natural polymers (e.g., gelatin, chitosan, collagen), synthetic polymers (e.g., Polylactic acid, Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid), Polyethylene glycol) and inorganic or conductive additives (e.g., hydroxyapatite, metal oxides, carbon nanomaterials) are discussed for their roles in enhancing scaffold bioactivity, degradation rate, and tissue-specific functionality. Application-specific insights are provided for PCL-based scaffolds in regenerating bone, skin, nerve, ligament, cartilage, dental and periodontal tissues, as well as emerging roles in cardiac, pulmonary, and hepatic repair. The review also highlights recent advances in intelligent scaffold design using computational modelling and artificial intelligence, and assesses sustainability, sterilisation, and regulatory challenges for clinical translation. Despite current limitations, PCL-based scaffolds show great promise for personalised and functional tissue regeneration. Future research should focus on integrating multiscale fabrication, responsive materials, green manufacturing processes, and standardised evaluation protocols. Interdisciplinary collaboration will be essential to overcome translational barriers and realise the clinical potential of PCL-based biomaterials in regenerative medicine.
3D print , Composite scaffolds , Electrospinning , Freeze-drying , Phase separation , Polycaprolactone , Tissue engineering
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Department of Engineering, Faculty of Science, Durham University, Durham, DH1 3LE, United Kingdom
College of Electrical, Energy and Power Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225127, China
Institute of Batteries, Nazarbayev University, Astana, 010000, Kazakhstan
Department of Built Environment and Energy Technology, Linnaeus University, Växjö, 351 95, Sweden
Department of Engineering
College of Electrical
Institute of Batteries
Department of Built Environment and Energy Technology
10 лет помогаем публиковать статьи Международный издатель
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