Over the past few decades, biomedical scientists and surgeons have given substantial attention to bioactive glasses as promising, long-lasting biomaterials that can make chemical connections with the neighboring hard and soft tissues. Several studies have examined the cellular and molecular responses to bioactive glasses to determine if they are suitable biomaterials for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. In this regard, different ions and additives have been used recently to induce specific characteristics for selective cellular and molecular responses. This Review briefly describes foreign-body response mechanisms and the role of adsorbed proteins as the key players in starting interactions between cells and biomaterials. It then explains the physicochemical properties of the most common bioactive glasses, which have a significant impact on their cellular and molecular responses. It is expected that, with the development of novel strategies, the physiochemical properties of bioactive glasses can be engineered to precisely control proteins' adsorption and cellular functions after implantation.
Keywords: bioactive glass; biomaterials; cell response; regenerative medicine; tissue engineering.