Avian Egg: A Multifaceted Biomaterial for Tissue Engineering

Most components in avian eggs, offering a natural and environmentally friendly source of raw materials, hold great potential in tissue engineering. An avian egg consists of several beneficial elements: the protective eggshell, the eggshell membrane, the egg white (albumen), and the egg yolk (vitellus). The eggshell is mostly composed of calcium carbonate and has intrinsic biological properties that stimulate bone repair. It is a suitable precursor for the synthesis of hydroxyapatite and calcium phosphate, which are particularly relevant for bone tissue engineering. The eggshell membrane is a thin protein-based layer with a fibrous structure and is constituted of several valuable biopolymers, such as collagen and hyaluronic acid, that are also found in the human extracellular matrix. As a result, the eggshell membrane has found several applications in skin tissue repair and regeneration. The egg white is a protein-rich material that is under investigation for the design of functional protein-based hydrogel scaffolds. The egg yolk, mostly composed of lipids but also diverse essential nutrients (e.g., proteins, minerals, vitamins), has potential applications in wound healing and bone tissue engineering. This review summarizes the advantages and status of each egg component in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, but also covers their current limitations and future perspectives.