Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
the typical osteoblastic morphology throughout the time of cul-
ture. Alizarin Red staining and quantification revealed a higher
and earlier level of differentiation on SiC ceramics than on tissue
culturepolystyrene(TCP)usedasreference.Theseresultsdemon-
strate that the porous and hierarchical microstructure of SiC pro-
motesthe differentiation of osteoblastic cells.
2.1 Introduction
This chapter deals with the development of an innovative, bioin-
spired biomaterial based on SiC ceramics derived from vegetable
resources, which mimics the interconnected hierarchic porosity of
the bone structure, being a promising approach for the generation
of porous ceramic scaffolds for bone tissue engineering and regen-
erative medicine.
In the last decade much effort has been made to engineer ideal
scaffolds for bone tissue regeneration (high porosity, proper pore
size, biocompatibility, biodegradability, osteoinductivity, etc.), but
none of the current materials fulfills all demands. Thus, a broad
rangeofsolutionshavebeendevelopedforeachparticularfunction,
for instance, devices with high mechanical stability for large bone
defectsinload-bearinglongbonesandmoldableorinjectablemate-
rials for craniofacialsurgery.
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4
The most intriguing aspects in scaffold design are due to the fact
that bone is a highly hierarchical three-dimensional (3D) composite
structure composed of an organic part (collagen, cells, and pro-
teins)andaninorganiccomponentformedbyspecificphasesofcal-
cium and phosphorous, especially needle- or plate-shaped crystals
of carbonate-rich hydroxyapatite. Furthermore, the bone architec-
ture depends on its location in the body and the local mechanical
loads withstoodat the site.
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Beyond its chemical composition, the design of an ideal matrix
focused on regeneration of bone tissue should mimic the natural
structure and architecture of bone. Scaffolds should have an inter-
nal structure intelligently designed, with a predetermined density,
pore shape, and size, with appropriate interconnection pathways.
High porosity levels are necessary to support migration and
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