Abstract
The demand for a viable alternative to currently available bone grafts continues to grow as the clinical need to fill or augment bone defects increases. Defects in bone due to trauma, infection, malignancy or metabolic bone disease provide unique challenges in treatment. Optimal graft bio characteristics should provide structure, osteogenesis, osteo-induction and osteo-conduction. To achieve this, consideration of cells and materials is required.
Approaches such as nanovibrational stimulation have provided advancements in driving mesenchymal stem cells toward osteoblastogensis, by activating mechanotransductive signalling pathways. Combining the technology of nanovibrational bioreactors with 3D collagen scaffolds has provided further insight into the role of mechanoreceptors in addition to presenting challenges in optimising the stiffness of such scaffolds to transmit the required frequency needed to induce osteoblastogenesis. Advancing this technology could provide opportunity for scalable production of osteoblastogenic cells within natural or synthetic 3D scaffolds.
Successful exogenous osteogenesis of bone forming cells in suitable scaffolding materials could unlock a cascade of treatment avenues previously unattainable, expanding opportunities of reconstructive surgery and improving limb salvage procedures. This article aims to review advances in osteoblast stimulation and scaffolds and discuss the limitations and potential applications of the technologies in a clinical setting.