Freeze-dried and imprinted collagen scaffolds in tendon engineering.

Collagen type I, as the main component of tendons, is an attractive biomaterial for the development of scaffolds for tendon repair and regeneration. Herein, we review advancements in freeze-drying and soft lithography scaffold fabrication procedures that permit the manufacturing of collagen scaffolds with precise architectural features. We also provide an overview of collagen crosslinking strategies that allow for the development of scaffolds with appropriate stiffness and cytocompatibility. In addition, we appraise the contribution of freeze-dried and imprinted collagen scaffolds in tendon engineering.