Recent trends in bone tissue engineering: a review of materials, methods, and structures

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Biomaterials Science
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Segmental long bone defects pose significant orthopedic challenges.
• Current treatments have limitations, necessitating advanced solutions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review various bone tissue engineering (BTE) strategies for segmental long bone defects.
• To discuss biological, material, and preparation aspects of BTE.
• To highlight emerging therapies and clinical limitations.

Main Methods:

• Review of literature on stem cells, ceramics, and metals for BTE.
• Analysis of scaffold properties (porosity, surface chemistry, hydrophilicity, degradation).
• Discussion of material production methods and advanced therapies (gene delivery, secretome).

Main Results:

• Various stem cells, ceramics, and metals show promise in BTE.
• Scaffold characteristics significantly influence BTE success.
• Novel therapies like gene delivery and secretome-based approaches are emerging.

Conclusions:

• BTE offers viable treatment options for segmental bone defects.
• Further research is needed to overcome limitations for widespread clinical application.