Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research ›› 2025, Vol. 29 ›› Issue (16): 3458-3468.doi: 10.12307/2025.421

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Differences in structural design between traditional and bionic scaffolds in bone tissue engineering

Zhao Yue, Xu Yan, Zhou Jianping, Zhang Xujing, Chen Yutong, Jin Zhengyang, Yin Zhitao   

  1. School of Mechanical Engineering, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830047, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China
  • Received:2024-03-13 Accepted:2024-04-19 Online:2025-06-08 Published:2024-09-05
  • Contact: Xu Yan, Professor, Doctoral supervisor, School of Mechanical Engineering, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830047, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China
  • About author:Zhao Yue, Master candidate, School of Mechanical Engineering, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830047, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China
  • Supported by:
    National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 52365053 (to XY)

Abstract: BACKGROUND: As a temporary matrix for new bone growth, the porous scaffold plays a key role in the process of bone repair. The structural design of porous scaffolds is a research priority in the process of bone repair.
OBJECTIVE: To summarize traditional bone scaffolds (regular, uniform scaffolds) and bionic scaffolds (irregular, inhomogeneous scaffolds) in the field of bone tissue engineering research. 
METHODS: A computerized search was performed in the databases of CNKI, VIP, WanFang, Web of Science, Science Direct, PubMed, and EI. Literature published from January 2008 to March 2024 was selected. The search terms in Chinese included “bone tissue engineering, bionic scaffolds, bone trabeculae, traditional scaffolds, bone repair, triple-period minimal surfaces.” The search terms in English were “bone tissue engineering, bionic scaffolds, bone trabeculae, traditional scaffolds, bone repair, TPMS.” Finally, 81 articles were included for review. 
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The structural design of bone scaffolds is the key to achieve bone repair and bone regeneration, and scaffold technology in bone tissue engineering has made remarkable progress. Traditional regular porous scaffolds are widely used due to their simple manufacturing process and good mechanical properties. However, these scaffolds often lack biological activity and are difficult to mimic the complex microenvironment of natural bone tissue, limiting their ability to promote cell proliferation and bone regeneration. On the contrary, bionic scaffolds provide a more suitable physiological microenvironment by mimicking the structural features of natural bone tissues, which promotes the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts, as well as the formation of new bone, and provides a new way of thinking for the effective treatment of bone defects. Despite the great potential of bionic scaffolds in theory, they still face many challenges in practical applications. Factors such as the scaffold’s biocompatibility, bioactivity, and its long-term stability still need to be further verified through clinical trials. 

Key words: bone tissue engineering, bionic scaffold, bone trabeculae, traditional scaffold, bone repair, triple-period minimal surface, topology optimization, structural design, single-cell array

CLC Number: