The performance of bone tissue engineering scaffolds in in vivo animal models: A systematic review

Abstract

Bone tissue engineering is an excellent alternative for the regeneration of large bone defects caused by trauma or bone pathologies. Scaffolds, stem cells, and bioactive molecules are the three key components of bone regeneration. Although a wide range of biomaterials of various compositions and structures has been proposed in the literature, these materials are rarely used in clinical applications. Therefore, more standardized studies are required to design scaffolds that enable better bone regeneration and are suitable for clinical use. The aim of this systematic review was to compare the performance of scaffolds used in preclinical animal studies to determine which class of materials has achieved a higher rate of bone neoformation (osteoinduction and osteoconduction). The selected studies were divided into three groups according to the following experimental models: studies that used subcutaneous models, bone defects in calvaria, and bone defects in long bones. Despite the large number of parameters in the included studies, we generally concluded that biomaterials containing calcium phosphates had important osteoinductive effects and were essential for better performance of the materials. Furthermore, natural polymers generally had better performance than synthetic polymers did, especially when the materials were associated with stem cells. The combination of materials from different classes was the most promising strategy for bone tissue regeneration.

Extraction Socket Preservation Using Porcine-Derived Collagen Membrane Alone or Associated with Porcine-Derived Bone. Clinical Results of Randomized Controlled Study

“…Graft materials provide a mechanical support to absorbable membranes during the healing phase. Moreover, based on their osteogenic, osteoconductive, or osteoinductive properties [22], graft materials act as stimulants or scaffolds for bone growth. Several grafting materials have already been investigated alone or with membranes for ESP, such as autogenous bone, allografts, xenografts, and alloplasts; their clinical advantages in ESP are largely supported by the available literature [23-28].…”

Heparin‐Conjugated Decellularized Bone Particles Promote Enhanced Osteogenic Signaling of PDGF‐BB to Adipose‐Derived Stem Cells in Tissue Engineered Bone Grafts

“…To evaluate the effects of HC‐DCB‐PDGF signaling in vivo, we used a critical‐sized 4 mm calvarial defect model in immunocompromised mice. We chose this model based upon its widespread use in evaluating the efficacy of TEBGs in treating critical‐sized cranial bone defects . We observed significantly higher levels of bone mineral formation in the group with HC‐DCB‐PDGF in comparison to HC‐DCB alone, while there were no differences between DCB and DCB‐PDGF.…”

Histologic and Histomorphometric Analysis of Bone Regeneration with Bovine Grafting Material after 24 Months of Healing. A Case Report

“…Contrasting data are present in the literature regarding whether ABBMM is completely degradable and whether the presence of residual graft particles could interfere with the healing process of regenerated sites [ 8 ]. This discrepancy may be attributed to differences in the type of study (animal vs. human studies), surgical approach, biopsy technique, or histological evaluation method [ 9 ].…”