- When preparing biomaterials for tissue engineering applications, sterility is considered the most essential factor to prevent complications.
- This is because any contamination by microorganisms can lead to infections, inflammation, and ultimately failure of the implanted biomaterial.
- Ensuring sterility minimizes the risk of post-implantation infections, which can compromise tissue regeneration and patient safety.

- While other factors such as mechanical strength, biodegradability, and porosity are important for the functional success of the scaffold or implant, they cannot compensate for the risks posed by microbial contamination.
For example:

- Mechanical strength ensures the biomaterial can withstand physiological loads.
- Biodegradability allows the scaffold to be resorbed and replaced by new tissue over time.
- Porosity promotes cell infiltration, nutrient diffusion, and vascularization.

However, without strict sterility, none of these advantages can safely translate into successful tissue engineering outcomes.

In summary:
- Sterility is crucial to prevent infections and complications.
- It ensures the biomaterial is safe for implantation.
- Other properties are important for performance but secondary to preventing contamination.

Reference: Tissue Engineering, Volume 2, Chapter 5, Page 123-125