Abstract
Nowadays, bioactive glasses (BGs) are mainly used to improve and support the healing process of osseous defects deriving from traumatic events, tumor removal, congenital pathologies, implant revisions, or infections. In the past, several approaches have been proposed in the replacement of extensive bone defects, each one with its own advantages and drawbacks. As a result, the need for synthetic bone grafts is still a remarkable clinical challenge since more than 1 million bone-graft surgical operations are annually performed worldwide. Moreover, recent studies show the effectiveness of BGs in the regeneration of soft tissues, too. Often, surgical criteria do not match the engineering ones and, thus, a compromise is required for getting closer to an ideal outcome in terms of good regeneration, mechanical support, and biocompatibility in contact with living tissues. The aim of the present review is providing a general overview of BGs, with particular reference to their use in clinics over the last decades and the latest synthesis/processing methods. Recent advances in the use of BGs in tissue engineering are outlined, where the use of porous scaffolds is gaining growing importance thanks to the new possibilities given by technological progress extended to both manufacturing processes and functionalization techniques.
Highlights
The need for replacing damaged parts of the body in order to restore their physiological functionality has always been the driving force which has supported research into the discovery and the design of new materials able to perform this task as efficiently as possible.After a preliminary definition of biomaterial in the 1950s, mainly based on the criterion of maximum biochemical and biological inertness in contact with body fluids [1], the discovery of Bioglass® by Larry L
The bioactivity mechanism first proposed by Hench and still accepted for silicate bioactive glasses (BGs) is based on 11 reaction stages which are divided into two different macro-stages [22]: 1
According to the promising results obtained as regards bioactivity evaluation in Simulated Body Fluid (SBF), cellular assays have been performed by exposing Sr-doped sol–gel derived BGs to foetal mouse calvarial bone cells and monitoring ALP activity, OC secretion, and bone markers gene expression by Real-Time
Summary
The need for replacing damaged parts of the body in order to restore their physiological functionality has always been the driving force which has supported research into the discovery and the design of new materials able to perform this task as efficiently as possible. Technological advances in biomaterials production processes made it possible, in deal with the regeneration of calcified tissues (e.g., bone, enamel) in orthopedics and dentistry [10]. Regenerative medicine and All nerve regeneration [18],BGs as well in the formation of neo-cartilage approaches, where themake availability of attractive functionalinartificial in vitro-vascularized tissue substitutes is. BGs very the development of TE and regenerative medicine important in order to guarantee the necessary nutrients and oxygen supply from the approaches, where the availability of functional artificial in vitro-vascularized tissue substitutes is earliest days after the device implantation [20]. The present work provides a database SCOPUS by using the following terms as major keywords: bioglass, bioactive glass, scaffold, wide overview on BGs and BG-based scaffolds for TE,glass, representing a valid source of information tissue engineering, sol–gel, mesoporous bioactive composite. For researchers interested in a complete and organized presentation from the earlier stages to the latest developments
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
