Chapter 4 - Bioactive glasses and ceramics for tissue engineering

Abstract

This chapter provides a review of the main types of bioactive ceramics and glasses used or under development for tissue engineering applications. Bioactive ceramics and glasses have been researched and developed mainly for the repair and regeneration of bone. However, increasing studies have shown the capacity of bioactive glasses to heal soft tissue wounds. The most widely used bioactive ceramics are the calcium phosphate bioceramics such as hydroxyapatite, beta-tricalcium phosphate, and biphasic calcium phosphate. Increasing research interest has been observed regarding the incorporation of therapeutic ions within the composition of calcium phosphate ceramics to enhance their functionality. While silicate-based bioactive glasses, such as the compositions designated 45S5 and 13–93, have received considerable attention, other compositions, such as borate and phosphate bioactive glasses, are also being studied and applied. In addition to providing a three-dimensional scaffold to guide tissue regeneration, bioactive ceramics and glasses are also being developed as delivery systems for cells, growth factors, synthetic drugs, natural herbal compounds and ions to enhance tissue regeneration. Conventional bioactive composites, composed of a discrete bioactive ceramic or glass phase dispersed in a biodegradable matrix, and inorganic–organic hybrids, composed of an inorganic bioactive component and a biodegradable organic component that interact at the nanoscale, will also be described. Properties of these bioactive ceramics and glasses, as well as their performance in vitro and in vivo are reviewed.