Bioactive Glass Applications in Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine

Bioactive glasses are silica-based materials specifically engineered to interact beneficially with biological tissues. Upon implantation, they undergo controlled surface reactions that lead to the formation of a biologically active hydroxycarbonate apatite layer, which bonds with bone and soft tissues. These materials have evolved from simple bone fillers to multifunctional platforms capable of delivering therapeutic ions, growth factors and drugs, while stimulating cellular responses such as osteogenesis and angiogenesis. Advances in glass composition, manufacturing techniques and composite design have broadened applications to include porous scaffolds for bone regeneration, coatings for implants, injectable cements and devices for soft-tissue repair. Modern bioactive glasses exploit ion release (for example calcium, silicon, strontium and magnesium) to modulate cell proliferation, differentiation and matrix synthesis, and can be tailored to degrade at controlled rates matching tissue healing. Integration of bioactive glasses with polymers and the development of three-dimensional printing approaches have enabled the fabrication of patient-specific constructs with graded porosity and mechanical properties. The global significance of these materials lies in their capacity to reduce reliance on autografts, to fight infection through local ion-mediated antimicrobial activity, and to facilitate the regeneration of complex defects in orthopaedics, dentistry and beyond.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have demonstrated that bioceramics derived from akermanite (a calcium–magnesium–silicate composition) release therapeutic Mg²⁺ and SiO₄⁴⁻ species that synergistically promote bone formation and blood-vessel development while suppressing the formation of bone-resorbing osteoclasts. In vitro investigations revealed enhanced proliferation and osteogenic marker expression in mesenchymal stem cells derived from osteoporotic models, with concurrent upregulation of angiogenic factors such as VEGF and ANG-1. Mechanistic analyses identified activation of ERK, p38, AKT and STAT3 signalling pathways and clear crosstalk among them. In vivo implantation of akermanite scaffolds in critical-sized calvarial defects in osteoporotic animals produced robust new bone deposition and vascular ingrowth, underscoring the potential of ion-releasing ceramics to address pathological bone healing conditions.

Bioactive Glass Applications in Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in bioactive glass applications in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Bioactive glass: A synthetic silica-based material that forms a biological apatite layer in the body, bonding with bone and soft tissues.

Osteogenesis: The process of new bone formation mediated by osteoblasts and their precursors.

Angiogenesis: The development of new blood vessels from existing vasculature, essential for tissue repair.

Osteoclastogenesis: The differentiation and activation of osteoclasts, cells responsible for bone resorption.

Scaffold: A three-dimensional porous structure designed to support cell attachment, proliferation and tissue ingrowth.

References

1. Bioactive Glasses: Where Are We and Where Are We Going?. Journal of Functional Biomaterials (2018).
2. Akermanite bioceramics promote osteogenesis, angiogenesis and suppress osteoclastogenesis for osteoporotic bone regeneration. Scientific Reports (2016).
3. Bioactive Glass Applications: A Literature Review of Human Clinical Trials. Materials (2021).
4. Multiple and Promising Applications of Strontium (Sr)-Containing Bioactive Glasses in Bone Tissue Engineering. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology (2019).
5. Recent Evidence on Bioactive Glass Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Activity: A Mini-Review. Materials (2018).