Progress in polymer nanocomposites for bone regeneration and engineering

The ultimate aim of tissue engineering entails fabrication of functional replacements for damaged organs or tissues. Scaffolds facilitate the proliferation of cells, while also improving their various functions. Scaffolds are 3-D structures capable of imitating mechanical and bioactive behaviors of tissues extracellular matrix, which provides enabling environment for cellular bonding, proliferation, and distinction. Hence, scaffolds are often applied in tissue engineering with the aim of facilitating damaged tissue regeneration which is a very important aspect of bone repair. Polymers are broadly utilized in tissue engineering due to their inherent versatility. However, polymers cannot attain mechanical behavior comparable to the bone. Thus, polymer nanocomposites fabricated through inclusion of fibers/or uniformly distributed ceramic/metallic nanoparticles in the matrix are potential materials for bone scaffold fabrication because inclusion of fiber or nanoparticles enhances composites mechanical behavior, while also improving other properties. Hence, this article elucidates recent trailblazing studies in polymer fiber composites and nanocomposites applied in the medical field especially in tissue engineering and bone regeneration. Also insights into market prospects and forecasts are presented.