Electrical Stimulation Optimization in Bioreactors for Tissue Engineering Applications

We review here the current research status on bioreactors for tissue engineering with cell electrical stimulation. Depending on the cell types, electrical stimulation has distinct objectives: 1) being employed both to mimic and enhance endogenous electricity measured in the natural regeneration of living organisms and 2) to mimic strain working conditions for contractible tissues (for instance muscle and cardiac tissues). Understanding the distinct parameters involved in electrical stimulation is crucial to optimize its application. The results presented in the literature and reviewed here reveal that the application of electrical stimulation can be essential for tissue engineering applications.