Biomaterials for Bone Tissue Engineering

Biomaterials play a critical role in bone engineering, working as an artificial extracellular matrix to support regeneration. From the materials science point of view, natural bone is ceramic-polymer composite. It is not surprising that huge efforts have been invested into the development of bioceramics and composites that mimic that of native bone. This chapter provides a comprehensive review on the biomaterials used in bone tissue engineering, including bioceramics, polymers and composites. The rational of bone tissue engineering is briefly introduced first. This is followed by systematic review of bioceramic (e.g. calcium phosphates, hydroxyapatite and bioactive glasses), biomedical polymers (e.g. polylactic acid, polyglycolic acid and their copolymers) and polymer-based ceramic-filled composites. Each section includes discussions of the material’s biocompatibility and biodegradability and two essential features of biomaterials in most tissue engineering applications, followed by a detailed description of its mechanical properties. Finally, the major achievements and remaining challenges for biomaterials used in bone tissue engineering are summarised.