2023, Vol. 27 ›› Issue (7): 1126-1132

Piezoelectric materials for vascularized bone regeneration

Xu Yan, Li Ping, Lai Chunhua, Zhu Peijun, Yang Shuo, Xu Shulan   

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Due to the inherent piezoelectric properties of bone and vascular tissues, piezoelectric materials have been developed and investigated in the field of vascularized bone tissue regeneration. Therefore, the effects of piezoelectric materials on cellular response and tissue regeneration in the electrical microenvironment of bone and vascular tissues were systematically investigated so as to overcome the limitations of insufficient neovascularization in tissue-engineered bone grafts, widening piezoelectric materials for their clinical applications.
OBJECTIVE: To review the application and progress of piezoelectric biomaterials in the field of vascularized bone regeneration.
METHODS: The key words included “piezoelectric material, bone regeneration, vascularization, angiogenesis” in Chinese and English. The articles published from 2011 to 2021 were searched on PubMed, Web of Science and CNKI.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Piezoelectric biomaterials possessed excellent biocompatibility and superior piezoelectricity. The electrical signals generated from the piezoelectric effect not only stimulate bone and vascular tissues but also mediate tissue regeneration. Piezoelectric biomaterials can overcome the drawbacks of inert biomaterials without the bioactivity, exhibiting the promising prospects for application in vascularized bone regeneration. Nevertheless, the mechanisms for piezoelectric materials regulating tissue repair and regeneration remain unknown. There are few comprehensive studies targeting the overall regeneration of vascularized bone. The shortcomings of the performance of piezoelectric materials, such as non-degradation properties and insufficient mechanical properties, should be further improved.
Key words: piezoelectric material, bone regeneration, angiogenesis, tissue engineering, piezoelectric polymers, piezoelectric ceramics, bone defect, vascularization