Tissue Regeneration through Cyber-Physical Systems and Microbots

Tissue engineering is a systematic approach of assembling cells onto a 3D scaffold to form a functional tissue in the presence of critical growth factors. The scaffolding system guides stem cells through topological, physiochemical, and mechanical cues to differentiate and integrate to form a functional tissue. However, cellular communication during tissue formation taking place in a reactor needs to be understood properly to enable appropriate positioning of the cells in a 3D environment. Hence, sensors and actuators integrated with cyber-physical system (CPS) may be able to sense the tissue microenvironment and direct cells/cellular aggregates to an appropriate position, respectively. This can facilitate better cell-to-cell communication and cell–extracellular matrix communication for proper tissue morphogenesis. Advancements are made in the field of smart scaffolds that can morph cells/cellular aggregates after sensing the cellular microenvironment in a desired 3D architecture by providing appropriate cues. Recent scientific developments in the additive manufacturing technology have enabled the fabrication of smart scaffolds to create structural and functional tissue constructs. Sensors/actuators, cyber-systems, smart materials, and additive manufacturing put together is expected to lead to improved tissue-engineered medical products. The present review aims to highlight the possibilities of advancement of BioCPS for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.