Research advances in naturally-derived biomaterials for tendon tissue engineering / 中华骨科杂志

ABSTRACT

The ideal scaffold material can reconstruct the morphology, structure and function of tissues and organs. Thus, it has received extensive attention in the field of tissue engineering. With the rapid development of the theories and technologies of naturally-derived biomaterials, it has gradually become a research hotspot in the field of regenerative medicine. Natural biomaterials have high bionics, good biocompatibility and a wide range of sources. Thus, they are very suitable to be used as scaffolds for tissue engineering. According to ingredients and source of raw materials, they can be roughly divided into protein-based biomaterials (collagen, gelatin, silk and fibrin), carbohydrate-based biomaterials (cellulose, chitin/chitosan, alginate and agarose), glycosaminoglycans (hyaluronic acid, chondroitin sulfate) and decellularized extracellular matrix (amniotic membrane, small intestinal submucosa, tendons). Different scaffold materials have unique natural structures and properties. Protein-based biomaterials can affect cell migration and differentiation through polymerization to form a network structure. They can be made into stents alone or used with other synthetic materials based on certain mechanical properties. Carbohydrate biomaterials can carry a large amount of liquid due to their high specific surface area. However, their mechanical properties are poor. Therefore, it is often used in the form of gel with other materials to control the release of cells and growth factors in tendon tissue engineering. Regularly, the anti-inflammatory, viscoelastic, lubricating and highly hydrating properties of glycosaminoglycan biomaterials can be combined with synthetic materials to increase their biocompatibility and hydrophilicity. Compared with the above materials, the decellularized extracellular matrix not only has a more similar extracellular structure and nutrients, but also has certain mechanical properties. Therefore, it can better reconstruct the morphology, structure and function of tissue and organ lesions. Ultimately, the above materials have been paid more and more attention in tissue engineering. The ingenious combination of different materials makes the repair of tendons show better results. In future, naturally-derived biomaterials could have broader clinical prospects and application value.