Bone tissue engineering

Question 1

How does bone healing occur?

Answer 1

Bone heals through vascularisation(Grow blood vessels into tissue to improve oxygen and nutrient supply)

Stage 1 - Hematoma occurs, lot of blood supply to the region

Stage 2 - External callus is formed, and new blood vessels form

Stage 3 - External callus turns to bone callus of spongy bone

Stage 4 - When hard bone forms, fracture healing starts to occur

Question 2

List some design specifications for bone scaffolds?

Answer 2

Biocompatibility
Osteoconductivity - ability of scaffold to serve as template for bone formation
Biodegradability
Bioactivity
Permeability
Architecture
Mechanical integrity
Manufacturability

Question 3

What materials can be used for bone scaffolds?

Answer 3

Polymers, ceramic/glass

Question 4

What is the manufacturing process for bone scaffolds?

Answer 4

Extrusion based processes

Question 5

Why is cartilage damage bad?

Answer 5

It doesn’t heal on its own like bone can. Permanent damage, need joint replacement

Question 6

What is the current treatment option for cartilage regeneration?

Answer 6

1st step - Removal of damaged cartilage and some bone is done to create a healthy interface/border

2nd step - Micro fracture drills into the bone to create channel that allow blood clot form in defect region

3rd step - The scaffold is put into the region to enable regeneration.