Biomechanics in bone tissue engineering

Abstract

Biomechanics may be considered as central in the development of bone tissue engineering. The initial mechanical aspects are essential to the outcome of a functional tissue engineering approach; so are aspects of interface micromotion, bone ingrowths inside the scaffold and finally, the mechanical integrity of the scaffold during its degradation. A proposed view is presented herein on how biomechanical aspects can be synthesised and where future developments are needed. In particular, a distinction is made between the mechanical and the mechanotransductional aspects of bone tissue engineering: the former could be related to osteoconduction, while the latter may be correlated to the osteoinductive properties of the scaffold. This distinction allows biomechanicians to follow a strategy in the development of a scaffold having not only mechanical targets but also incorporating some mechanotransduction principles.

Keywords:

• bone scaffold
• load-bearing application
• biomechanics
• mechanotransduction
• tissue engineering

Acknowledgements

The author thanks Dr Alexandre Terrier from the LBO/EPFL for constructive discussions, Salim Darwiche from the LBO/EPFL for English editing of the manuscript and the Inter-Institutional Center for Translational Biomechanics EPFL-CHUV-DAL for the financial support.