Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
4.0
3.8
Journals
Bioengineering
Special Issues
Biomaterials for Cartilage and Bone Tissue Engineering: Second Edition
share announcement

Biomaterials for Cartilage and Bone Tissue Engineering: Second Edition

A special issue of Bioengineering (ISSN 2306-5354). This special issue belongs to the section "Biomedical Engineering and Biomaterials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2025 | Viewed by 4032

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Francesca Scalera

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Nanotechnology-CNR NANOTEC, Lecce, Italy
Interests: biomaterials; bone; cartilage; hydrogel; bioinks; tissue engineering; bioprinting
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This is the second volume of the previously successful Special Issue on "Biomaterials for Cartilage and Bone Tissue Engineering".

In the realm of clinical orthopedics, the successful regeneration of weight-bearing bone defects and critical-sized cartilage defects is still challenging. A valid approach to this is tissue engineering. This Special Issue is dedicated to recent developments in biomaterials for scaffolds for repairing and regenerating tissues such as bones, cartilage, tendons, meniscus, and ligaments, from synthesis to production methods. Topics of interest for this Special Issue also include cell–biomaterial surface interactions and bone cell mechanotransduction.

I hope that this Special Issue will provide new insights to the scientific community in this ever-expanding research field. The scientific contributions on these topics may be submitted in the form of original articles or reviews. I look forward to receiving your manuscripts.

Dr. Francesca Scalera
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Bioengineering is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • cartilage
  • bone
  • scaffolds
  • stem cells
  • tissue engineering

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Related Special Issue

Published Papers (4 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

21 pages, 10514 KiB  
Article
Enhanced Bioactivity of Cu-Doped Bioactive Glass Coatings on Human Freeze-Dried Cortical Bone: An In Vitro Study
by Silvia Brogini, Matilde Tschon, Leonardo Vivarelli, Alessandro Gambardella, Angela De Bonis, Gianluca Giavaresi, Milena Fini, Dante Dallari, Julietta V. Rau and Marco Govoni
Bioengineering 2025, 12(4), 354; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering12040354 - 29 Mar 2025
Viewed by 269
Abstract
Bone grafting is one of the most used surgical techniques to favor bone regeneration and repair in orthopedic procedures. Despite autografting continuing to be considered the gold standard, allogeneic bone tissues remain a viable alternative albeit in the last decades, only a few [...] Read more.
Bone grafting is one of the most used surgical techniques to favor bone regeneration and repair in orthopedic procedures. Despite autografting continuing to be considered the gold standard, allogeneic bone tissues remain a viable alternative albeit in the last decades, only a few studies have been carried out to translate enhanced allogeneic bone grafts into clinical solutions. In this in vitro study, cortical allogeneic bone samples were coated with copper-doped bioactive glass 45S5 (Cu-BG) by means of the pulsed-laser deposition technique to combine the mechanical support and osteoconductive properties of human bone with the osteogenic and pro-angiogenic features of the bioactive material. Contact angle (CA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements were carried out to quantitatively compare the impact on the bone surface properties of the morphological changes induced by the presence of the coating. Specifically, the obtained results have shown a total absorption of the drop on the coated samples. The coating on the bone tissue surface consisted of a homogeneous Cu-BG background layer with micrometric grain-like aggregates on it—a morphological feature that can facilitate osteoblast adhesion and proliferation. Cytotoxicity and cell viability were carried out on Saos-2 osteoblast-like cells, demonstrating the biocompatibility of the novel composite bone tissue and the absence of cytotoxic residuals. Moreover, human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) were seeded on Cu-BG and not-coated (NC) samples to evaluate the bioactivity and their differentiation toward the osteogenic phenotype. Our findings showed the pro-osteogenic and pro-angiogenic potential of Cu-BG coatings, although dynamic changes were observed over time. At seven days, the Cu-BG samples exhibited significantly higher expressions of SP7, SPP1, and BGLAP genes, indicating an enhanced early osteogenic commitment. Moreover, VEGF expression was significantly increased in Cu-BG compared to the control. These results pave the way for the development of an innovative class of bone-based products distributed by tissue banks. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomaterials for Cartilage and Bone Tissue Engineering: Second Edition)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

12 pages, 1551 KiB  
Article
Dexamethasone-Functionalized PLLA Membranes: Effects of Layer-by-Layer Coating and Electrospinning on Osteogenesis
by Flavia Gonçalves, Roberta Molisani Letomai, Marjory Muraro Gomes, Maria dos Remédios Aguiar Araújo, Yasmin Silva Muniz, Maria Stella Moreira and Leticia Cidreira Boaro
Bioengineering 2025, 12(2), 130; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering12020130 - 30 Jan 2025
Viewed by 787
Abstract
The addition of dexamethasone in membranes for guided bone regeneration is promising due to its dual effect: (1) anti-inflammatory action and (2) induction of osteogenesis in host stem cells. Electrospun fiber coating with dexamethasone using the layer-by-layer (LBL) technique offers an interesting alternative [...] Read more.
The addition of dexamethasone in membranes for guided bone regeneration is promising due to its dual effect: (1) anti-inflammatory action and (2) induction of osteogenesis in host stem cells. Electrospun fiber coating with dexamethasone using the layer-by-layer (LBL) technique offers an interesting alternative for the gradual release of the drug, aiming for enhanced osteodifferentiation activity. This study aimed to develop synthetic poly-L-lactide (PLLA) membranes with dexamethasone incorporated into the fibers or coated on their surface, and to evaluate the drug release rate, as well as the material’s ability to promote proliferation, osteoconduction, and osteodifferentiation of human periodontal ligament stem cells (hPDLSCs). PLLA membranes were produced by electrospinning. Dexamethasone was incorporated using three techniques: (A) electrospinning of a co-solution of PLLA with 2.5 w/w% dexamethasone; (B) deposition of four layers on the PLLA membrane using alternating solutions of chitosan and heparin/dexamethasone; (C) deposition of 10 layers on the PLLA membrane using the same solutions. hPDLSC proliferation was measured via CCK-8 at 1, 7, 14, and 21 days. Cellular differentiation was assessed by alkaline phosphatase activity (7 days) and alizarin red staining (21 days) in clonogenic and osteogenic media (ODM). Data were analyzed using one or two-way ANOVA and Tukey test. Electrospun membranes with dexamethasone and those with 4 layers showed immediate drug release within 24 h, whereas 10 layers exhibited gradual release over 14 days. Cumulative drug release was higher for electrospun membranes at 1 and 7 days, similar to 10 layers at 14 and 21 days. The 4 LBL membrane promoted lower hPDLSC proliferation compared to the 10 LBL and electrospun membranes at 21 days but showed increased extracellular matrix mineralization in osteogenic media. No significant differences in alkaline phosphatase expression were observed between materials. Therefore, the addition of dexamethasone in 10 layers, combined with heparin, enables gradual drug release. However, lower drug release in the first 24 h by four LBL membranes improved the material’s osteogenesis properties. None of the materials improved the osteodifferentiation in the clonogenic medium. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomaterials for Cartilage and Bone Tissue Engineering: Second Edition)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 40344 KiB  
Article
From Cartilage to Matrix: Protocols for the Decellularization of Porcine Auricular Cartilage
by Ana Caroline dos Santos, Livia Maria Barbosa de Andrade, Raí André Querino Candelária, Juliana Casanovas de Carvalho, Maria Carolina Miglino Valbão, Rodrigo da Silva Nunes Barreto, Marcelo Domingues de Faria, Rogerio Leone Buchaim, Daniela Vieira Buchaim and Maria Angelica Miglino
Bioengineering 2025, 12(1), 52; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering12010052 - 9 Jan 2025
Viewed by 904
Abstract
The shortage of tissues and damaged organs led to the development of tissue engineering. Biological scaffolds, created from the extracellular matrix (ECM) of organs and tissues, have emerged as a promising solution for transplants. The ECM of decellularized auricular cartilage is a potential [...] Read more.
The shortage of tissues and damaged organs led to the development of tissue engineering. Biological scaffolds, created from the extracellular matrix (ECM) of organs and tissues, have emerged as a promising solution for transplants. The ECM of decellularized auricular cartilage is a potential tool for producing ideal scaffolds for the recellularization and implantation of new tissue in damaged areas. In order to be classified as an ideal scaffold, it must be acellular, preserving its proteins and physical characteristics necessary for cell adhesion. This study aimed to develop a decellularization protocol for pig ear cartilage and evaluate the integrity of the ECM. Four tests were performed using different methods and protocols, with four pig ears from which the skin and subcutaneous tissue were removed, leaving only the cartilage. The most efficient protocol was the combination of trypsin with a sodium hydroxide solution (0.2 N) and SDS (1%) without altering the ECM conformation or the collagen architecture. In conclusion, it was observed that auricular cartilage is difficult to decellularize, influenced by material size, exposure time, and the composition of the solution. Freezing and thawing did not affect the procedure. The sample thickness significantly impacted the decellularization time. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomaterials for Cartilage and Bone Tissue Engineering: Second Edition)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 10442 KiB  
Article
Comparison of Bioengineered Scaffolds for the Induction of Osteochondrogenic Differentiation of Human Adipose-Derived Stem Cells
by Elena Fiorelli, Maria Giovanna Scioli, Sonia Terriaca, Arsalan Ul Haq, Gabriele Storti, Marta Madaghiele, Valeria Palumbo, Ermal Pashaj, Fabio De Matteis, Diego Ribuffo, Valerio Cervelli and Augusto Orlandi
Bioengineering 2024, 11(9), 920; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering11090920 - 14 Sep 2024
Viewed by 1590
Abstract
Osteochondral lesions may be due to trauma or congenital conditions. In both cases, therapy is limited because of the difficulty of tissue repair. Tissue engineering is a promising approach that relies on designed scaffolds with variable mechanical attributes to favor cell attachment and [...] Read more.
Osteochondral lesions may be due to trauma or congenital conditions. In both cases, therapy is limited because of the difficulty of tissue repair. Tissue engineering is a promising approach that relies on designed scaffolds with variable mechanical attributes to favor cell attachment and differentiation. Human adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs) are a very promising cell source in regenerative medicine with osteochondrogenic potential. Based on the assumption that stiffness influences cell commitment, we investigated three different scaffolds: a semisynthetic animal-derived GelMA hydrogel, a combined scaffold made of rigid PEGDA coated with a thin GelMA layer and a decellularized plant-based scaffold. We investigated the role of different biomechanical stimulations in the scaffold-induced osteochondral differentiation of hASCs. We demonstrated that all scaffolds support cell viability and spontaneous osteochondral differentiation without any exogenous factors. In particular, we observed mainly osteogenic commitment in higher stiffness microenvironments, as in the plant-based one, whereas in a dense and softer matrix, such as in GelMA hydrogel or GelMA-coated-PEGDA scaffold, chondrogenesis prevailed. We can induce a specific cell commitment by combining hASCs and scaffolds with particular mechanical attributes. However, in vivo studies are needed to fully elucidate the regenerative process and to eventually suggest it as a potential approach for regenerative medicine. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomaterials for Cartilage and Bone Tissue Engineering: Second Edition)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-4
Back to TopTop