Mesoporous Bioactive Glasses: A Powerful Tool in Tissue Engineering and Drug Delivery

Since Prof. L.L. Hench's discovery that certain SiO₂;-based glasses can bond with bone tissue, bioactive glasses (BGs) like Bioglass 45S5 have played a key role in orthopedic, dental, and periodontal treatments. The introduction of sol-gel chemistry in 1991 significantly enhanced their surface area and porosity, boosting their bioactivity and osteogenic properties. More recently, a third-generation biomaterial, such as bioactive mesoporous glasses (MBGs) has emerged. Synthesized using structure-directing agents, MBGs possess highly ordered pore structures and greatly increased surface areas, making them excellent carriers for therapeutic agents like antibiotics and bone-regenerating compounds. Their ability to promote tissue healing and gradually resorb in the body adds to their appeal in regenerative medicine. Beyond drug and ion delivery, MBGs are gaining interest in gene therapy by serving as vectors for delivering genetic material to specific cells, offering new possibilities for treating genetic disorders and enhancing molecular-level healing. Additionally, MBGs are being increasingly explored in 3D printing, enabling the fabrication of patient-specific, porous scaffolds tailored to complex tissue structures. These printed constructs can integrate therapeutic molecules or genes, making them multifunctional platforms for advanced, personalized regenerative therapies. MBGs thus represent a versatile and expanding class of materials in biomedical innovation.