A governing parameter that determines the transport properties of diffusion and permeability is defined by the ____?

The tortuosity factor is crucial in understanding the transport properties of diffusion and permeability within biomaterials used in tissue engineering. Tortuosity refers to the complexity of the pathways that molecules must navigate through a porous structure, such as a scaffold. When assessing how effective a material is at allowing substances, like nutrients and waste products, to diffuse through it, the tortuosity factor becomes a significant parameter.

In simple terms, a higher tortuosity indicates that the pathways are longer and more convoluted, which can impede the movement of molecules. This affects how quickly and efficiently substances can be exchanged between the scaffold and surrounding tissues. Thus, the tortuosity factor directly influences both diffusion and permeability, making it an essential consideration in the design and application of materials for tissue engineering.

The other factors mentioned, such as surface chemistry, plasma modification, and revascularization, play roles in tissue engineering but do not specifically define the transport properties related to diffusion and permeability in the same way. Surface chemistry relates more to interactions at the molecular level, plasma modification can affect surface characteristics but not the bulk transport properties, and revascularization pertains to blood vessel formation which is critical for tissue integration but not directly a governing parameter for diffusion and permeability in materials.