Review: Tailored microstructures in the system tricalcium phosphate-wollastonite-diopside for bone regeneration scaffolds

Abstract

Tissue engineering constructs (TECs) combining resorbable scaffolds, cells and/or reactive agents are required for bone regeneration. New green ceramic processing methods allow fabricating layered and gradient porous structures. Dense bioceramics with sufficient strength that keep their microstructure when incorporating porosity are required. Bioceramics in the system tricalcium phosphate-wollastonite-diopside are reviewed. Tailoring of microstructures to improve their mechanical and biological behaviors and their potential for TECs are analyzed. First, a brief discussion on bone properties and requirements for biomaterials and the capabilities and limits of glasses and glass-ceramics formulated in the system is done. Then, the relationships between the microstructure and the mechanical behavior of single-phase and composite bioceramics are discussed. TCP-D-W microstructures with adequate mechanical performance support viability and osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells (hASCs) and their colonization by hASCs presents specific morphological features that make them adequate for TECs.