Magnesium Phosphate Cement Applications in Bone Regeneration

Magnesium phosphate cements (MPCs) have emerged as a versatile class of bioresorbable bone substitutes, combining rapid setting kinetics, adjustable mechanical strength and favourable ion release profiles. By forming mineral phases such as struvite and newberyite, these cements provide a porous scaffold that gradually degrades under physiological conditions, synchronously allowing new bone ingrowth. Their intrinsic biochemical activity, driven by magnesium and phosphate ions, promotes osteoblastic proliferation and differentiation, as well as angiogenesis, thus accelerating the repair of critical‐sized defects. Advances in formulation—ranging from premixed pastes to 3D‐printed constructs and hydrogel composites—have addressed clinical demands for injectability, drillability and load‐bearing capacity. These developments have broadened the potential of MPCs to treat fractures, spinal fusions and dental augmentations, with degradation rates tuned to match the pace of natural bone remodelling. Overall, MPCs represent a global paradigm shift in orthopaedic and cranio‐maxillofacial interventions by offering a fully degradable, osteoconductive alternative to legacy calcium phosphate cements.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Investigations into sintering protocols have demonstrated that increasing the temperature of magnesium phosphate ceramics markedly enhances crystallinity, reduces degradation rates and optimises surface morphology for improved in vitro mineralisation and osteoblast response. A sintered material at around 800 °C exhibited the ideal balance between mechanical integrity and bioactivity, fostering cell spreading, proliferation and expression of differentiation markers. In parallel, innovative scaffold designs have merged a surface‐treated magnesium alloy core with a bioglass–magnesium phosphate cement matrix. This reinforced composite mimicks the strength of cortical bone while gradually releasing bioactive ions and forming hydroxyapatite in situ. In vivo studies confirm that such bifunctional constructs sustain load‐bearing functions during early healing and are ultimately replaced by mature bone tissue, offering a robust solution for large defects.

Magnesium Phosphate Cement Applications in Bone Regeneration publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in magnesium phosphate cement applications in bone regeneration across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Magnesium phosphate cement (MPC): A self-setting inorganic biomaterial composed of magnesium and phosphate precursors that forms a degradable matrix under aqueous conditions.

Struvite: A crystalline magnesium ammonium phosphate hydrate (MgNH₄PO₄·6H₂O) commonly formed during cement hydration, contributing to early mechanical strength.

Osteoconductivity: The capacity of a scaffold to support the attachment, migration and growth of bone‐forming cells along its surface.

Osteoinductivity: The ability of a material to stimulate progenitor cells to differentiate into osteoblasts and initiate new bone formation.

Bioresorption: The gradual degradation and absorption of an implanted material by chemical dissolution and cellular activity, synchronised with tissue regeneration.

References

1. A tough injectable self‐setting cement‐based hydrogel for noninvasive bone augmentation. Interdisciplinary Materials (2023).
2. Ready‐To‐Use and Rapidly Biodegradable Magnesium Phosphate Bone Cement: In Vivo Evaluation in Sheep. Advanced Healthcare Materials (2023).
3. Development and Bone Regeneration Capacity of Premixed Magnesium Phosphate Cement Pastes. Materials (2019).
4. Effects of sintering temperature on surface morphology/microstructure, in vitro degradability, mineralization and osteoblast response to magnesium phosphate as biomedical material. Scientific Reports (2017).
5. Magnesium-alloy rods reinforced bioglass bone cement composite scaffolds with cortical bone-matching mechanical properties and excellent osteoconductivity for load-bearing bone in vivo regeneration. Scientific Reports (2020).
6. Degradation of 3D-printed magnesium phosphate ceramics in vitro and a prognosis on their bone regeneration potential. Bioactive Materials (2022).
7. Experimental Drillable Magnesium Phosphate Cement Is a Promising Alternative to Conventional Bone Cements. Materials (2021).