Marine-Derived Biomaterials for Bone Tissue Engineering

Bone tissue engineering seeks to repair and regenerate skeletal defects by combining osteoconductive scaffolds, osteoinductive factors and appropriate cells. Marine environments provide a rich diversity of biominerals, polymers and sponges whose intrinsic architectures, compositions and hierarchical porosities can be harnessed to produce biocompatible, bioactive and mechanically suitable graft substitutes. Marine skeletons such as corals, cuttlefish bone and sponges are primarily composed of calcium carbonate or siliceous structures that may be converted, via thermal or hydrothermal treatments, into calcium phosphate phases—most notably hydroxyapatite (HAp) and β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP)—while preserving their native porosity. These converted scaffolds support cell adhesion, proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells, and can be functionalised with trace metal ions (for example strontium, magnesium or zinc) or coated with polymers to modulate dissolution rates and mechanical properties. Marine collagens and derived composites combine organic matrices with mineral phases to enhance toughness and mimic natural extracellular matrices. Collectively, these materials offer sustainable, low-cost alternatives to mammalian sources, with applications in orthopaedics and dentistry. Emerging research focuses on fine-tuning mineral conversion processes, polymer coatings and ionic doping to achieve the optimal balance of bioactivity, resorption and mechanical integrity, opening new pathways for personalised and off-the-shelf graft substitutes.

Research from Nature Portfolio

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Research from all publishers

Recent investigations have demonstrated the viability of coral-derived β-TCP scaffolds fabricated by solid-state reactions between propagated coral calcium carbonate and dicalcium phosphate anhydrous. Heat treatment at controlled temperatures yielded interconnected microporosity and phase compositions combining β-TCP and HAp, with in vivo rabbit models showing enhanced bone formation and resorption kinetics compared with conventional β-TCP. Another study fabricated biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) scaffolds from cuttlefish bone doped with strontium, magnesium and zinc, subsequently coated with poly(ester urea). In vitro assays with human umbilical cord mesenchymal stromal cells confirmed excellent cytocompatibility and promoted osteogenic differentiation, highlighting polymer coatings as a route to improved cell–scaffold interactions without compromising proliferation. Additionally, hydrothermal modification of natural coral to produce HAp scaffolds has been shown to enhance mesenchymal stem cell proliferation and osteogenic markers in vitro, while in vivo rat models revealed superior segmental bone defect healing, attributing gains to preserved porosity, favourable surface chemistries and sustained release of calcium ions.

Marine-Derived Biomaterials for Bone Tissue Engineering publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in marine-derived biomaterials for bone tissue engineering across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Scaffold: A three-dimensional porous structure that supports cell attachment, growth and differentiation in tissue engineering.

Hydroxyapatite (HAp): A naturally occurring calcium phosphate mineral (Ca₁₀(PO₄)₆(OH)₂) resembling bone mineral phase, valued for its osteoconductivity.

β-Tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP): A resorbable calcium phosphate phase (Ca₃(PO₄)₂) often used in bone grafts for controlled biodegradation.

Biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP): A composite of HAp and β-TCP designed to balance bioactivity and resorption rates.

Osteogenic differentiation: The process by which progenitor cells develop into osteoblasts capable of producing bone matrix.

References

1. An innovative biomimetic porous bioceramic to facilitate bone tissue regeneration: microstructural characteristics, biocompatibility, and in vivo rabbit model evaluation. Journal of Materials Research and Technology (2023).
2. In Vitro Evaluation of Biphasic Calcium Phosphate Scaffolds Derived from Cuttlefish Bone Coated with Poly(ester urea) for Bone Tissue Regeneration. Polymers (2023).
3. Hydrothermally treated coral scaffold promotes proliferation of mesenchymal stem cells and enhances segmental bone defect healing. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology (2023).
4. Synthetic and Marine-Derived Porous Scaffolds for Bone Tissue Engineering. Materials (2018).
5. Marine Collagen/Apatite Composite Scaffolds Envisaging Hard Tissue Applications. Marine Drugs (2018).