Perspectives on the role of nanotechnology in bone tissue engineering.
OBJECTIVE
This review surveys new developments in bone tissue engineering, specifically focusing on the promising role of nanotechnology and describes future avenues of research.


METHODS
The review first reinforces the need to fabricate scaffolds with multi-dimensional hierarchies for improved mechanical integrity. Next, new advances to promote bioactivity by manipulating the nanolevel internal surfaces of scaffolds are examined followed by an evaluation of techniques using scaffolds as a vehicle for local drug delivery to promote bone regeneration/integration and methods of seeding cells into the scaffold.


RESULTS
Through a review of the state of the field, critical questions are posed to guide future research toward producing materials and therapies to bring state-of-the-art technology to clinical settings.


CONCLUSIONS
The development of scaffolds for bone regeneration requires a material able to promote rapid bone formation while possessing sufficient strength to prevent fracture under physiological loads. Success in simultaneously achieving mechanical integrity and sufficient bioactivity with a single material has been limited. However, the use of new tools to manipulate and characterize matter down to the nano-scale may enable a new generation of bone scaffolds that will surpass the performance of autologous bone implants.
Center for Advanced Structural Ceramics, Department of Materials, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AZ, UK.
Eduardo
E
Saiz
Elizabeth A
EA
Zimmermann
Janice S
JS
Lee
Ulrike G K
UG
Wegst
Antoni P
AP
Tomsia
D001861:Bone Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D004337:Drug Carriers; D006801:Humans; D050997:Nanomedicine; D049329:Nanostructures; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry*
D004337:Drug Carriers