Biomaterials for bone tissue engineering scaffolds: a review

Abstract

Bone tissue engineering has been continuously developing since the concept of "tissue engineering" has been proposed. Biomaterials that are used as the basic material for the fabrication of scaffolds play a vital role in bone tissue engineering. This paper first introduces a strategy for literature search. Then, it describes the structure, mechanical properties and materials of natural bone and the strategies of bone tissue engineering. Particularly, it focuses on the current knowledge about biomaterials used in the fabrication of bone tissue engineering scaffolds, which includes the history, types, properties and applications of biomaterials. The effects of additives such as signaling molecules, stem cells, and functional materials on the performance of the scaffolds are also discussed.

Fig. 1. Hierarchical structure of natural bone. Reproduced from ref. 11 with permission from Elsevier, copyright 2011.

Fig. 2. Strategies for bone tissue engineering. Reproduced from ref. 22 with permission from Springer, copyright 2018.

Fig. 3. Performance of natural and synthetic materials. (a) Ashby chart of strength and stiffness for natural and synthetic materials. (b) Calculation for natural and synthetic materials. Reproduced from ref. 17 with permission from Nature Publishing Group, copyright 2014.

Fig. 4. Functional composite bone tissue engineering scaffolds. (a) Effect of temperature on the scaffolds. Reproduced from ref. 127 with permission from Elsevier, copyright 2014. (b) Effect of near-infrared light on the scaffolds. Reproduced from ref. 129 with permission from Elsevier, copyright 2018.