Mesoporous Bioactive Glass for Bone Tissue Engineering

Mesoporous bioactive glass (MBG) represents a class of silicate-based biomaterials endowed with ordered nanoporous architectures that combine rapid surface reactivity with controlled ion release. The mesopore network, typically in the range of 5–20 nm, affords a high specific surface area that accelerates the nucleation of hydroxyapatite, the principal mineral component of bone. MBGs are synthesised predominantly by sol–gel routes, often utilising surfactant templates and evaporation-induced self-assembly to achieve precise pore geometry. Beyond their inherent osteoconductivity, MBGs can serve as carriers for therapeutic ions or biomolecules, enabling the co-delivery of osteogenic factors, antimicrobials or growth regulators. Advances in scaffold fabrication—such as additive manufacturing, electrospinning and spin coating—have yielded hierarchical three-dimensional constructs with improved mechanical integrity and interconnectivity. Functionalisation strategies, including surface grafting or metal ion doping, further enhance cellular responses by tuning degradation kinetics, surface charge and biological cues. Collectively, these attributes position MBGs as versatile platforms for bone defect repair, offering a convergence of bioactivity, drug delivery and structural support in a single, tailorable material.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have demonstrated the fabrication of MBG scaffolds via a straightforward powder processing technique that achieves both high compressive strength and preserved mesoporosity. Post-synthesis grafting of amino and carboxylic groups yields positively or negatively charged surfaces that modulate cell adhesion and differentiation. Among these, amino-functionalised MBG scaffolds exhibit the highest in vitro osteogenic potential, attributed to enhanced protein adsorption and moderated degradation rates. In vivo assessments confirm that such functionalised scaffolds promote superior bone ingrowth and mineral deposition compared with unmodified counterparts. These findings illustrate how surface chemistry and degradation control can be synergistically employed to optimise MBG performance in bone regeneration applications.

Mesoporous Bioactive Glass for Bone Tissue Engineering publication trend

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

Technical terms

Mesoporous bioactive glass (MBG): Silicate-based glass with highly ordered pores (2–50 nm) that bonds to bone and facilitates drug or ion delivery.

Osteoconductivity: Ability of a material to support attachment and growth of new bone cells on its surface.

Osteoinductivity: Capacity of a material to stimulate progenitor cells to differentiate into bone-forming osteoblasts.

Sol–gel process: Chemical method for producing glasses via transition from a liquid solution to a solid gel network.

Evaporation-induced self-assembly (EISA): Technique in which surfactant-directed organisation of inorganic precursors during solvent evaporation yields ordered mesopores.

3D scaffold: Three-dimensional porous structure designed to mimic extracellular matrix for tissue ingrowth.

Doping: Incorporation of trace metal ions into glass to impart therapeutic or antibacterial functions.

References

1. Functionalized mesoporous bioactive glass scaffolds for enhanced bone tissue regeneration. Scientific Reports (2016).
2. A Guided Walk through the World of Mesoporous Bioactive Glasses (MBGs): Fundamentals, Processing, and Applications. Nanomaterials (2020).
3. Synthesis and Characterization of Silver-Doped Mesoporous Bioactive Glass and Its Applications in Conjunction with Electrospinning. Materials (2018).
4. 3D Printing of Hierarchical Scaffolds Based on Mesoporous Bioactive Glasses (MBGs)—Fundamentals and Applications †. Materials (2020).
5. Influence of Copper-Strontium Co-Doping on Bioactivity, Cytotoxicity and Antibacterial Activity of Mesoporous Bioactive Glass. Gels (2022).
6. Tailorable Zinc-Substituted Mesoporous Bioactive Glass/Alginate-Methylcellulose Composite Bioinks. Materials (2021).