Zinc based biodegradable metals for bone repair and regeneration: Bioactivity and molecular mechanisms

Ping Li; Jingtao Dai; Yageng Li; Dorothea Alexander; Jaroslav Čapek; Jürgen Geis-Gerstorfer; Guojiang Wan; Jianmin Han; Zhentao Yu; An Li

doi:10.1016/j.mtbio.2023.100932

Zinc based biodegradable metals for bone repair and regeneration: Bioactivity and molecular mechanisms

Mater Today Bio. 2023 Dec 28:25:100932. doi: 10.1016/j.mtbio.2023.100932. eCollection 2024 Apr.

Authors

Ping Li^{1

2

3}, Jingtao Dai⁴, Yageng Li⁵, Dorothea Alexander⁶, Jaroslav Čapek⁷, Jürgen Geis-Gerstorfer⁸, Guojiang Wan⁹, Jianmin Han¹⁰, Zhentao Yu¹¹, An Li¹²

Affiliations

¹ Center of Oral Implantology, Stomatological Hospital, School of Stomatology, Southern Medical University, South Jiangnan Road No. 366, Guangzhou 510280, China.
² School and Hospital of Stomatology, Guangdong Engineering Research Center of Oral Restoration and Reconstruction, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510182, China.
³ Department of Prosthodontics, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510182, China.
⁴ Department of Orthodontics, Stomatological Hospital, School of Stomatology, Southern Medical University, South Jiangnan Road No. 366, Guangzhou 510280, China.
⁵ Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Materials Genome Engineering, School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China.
⁶ Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospital Tübingen, Osianderstrasse 2-8, Tübingen 72076, Germany.
⁷ FZU - the Institute of Physics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Na Slovance 1999/2, Prague 8, 18200, Czech Republic.
⁸ Section Medical Materials Science and Technology, University Hospital Tübingen, Osianderstrasse 2-8, Tübingen 72076, Germany.
⁹ Key Laboratory of Advanced Technologies of Materials, Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, China.
¹⁰ National Engineering Laboratory for Digital and Material Technology of Stomatology, Department of Dental Materials, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing 100081, China.
¹¹ Institute of Advanced Wear & Corrosion Resistant and Functional Materials, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.
¹² Department of Periodontology, Stomatological Hospital, School of Stomatology, Southern Medical University, South Jiangnan Road 366, Guangzhou 510280, China.

Abstract

Bone fractures and critical-size bone defects are significant public health issues, and clinical treatment outcomes are closely related to the intrinsic properties of the utilized implant materials. Zinc (Zn)-based biodegradable metals (BMs) have emerged as promising bioactive materials because of their exceptional biocompatibility, appropriate mechanical properties, and controllable biodegradation. This review summarizes the state of the art in terms of Zn-based metals for bone repair and regeneration, focusing on bridging the gap between biological mechanism and required bioactivity. The molecular mechanism underlying the release of Zn ions from Zn-based BMs in the improvement of bone repair and regeneration is elucidated. By integrating clinical considerations and the specific bioactivity required for implant materials, this review summarizes the current research status of Zn-based internal fixation materials for promoting fracture healing, Zn-based scaffolds for regenerating critical-size bone defects, and Zn-based barrier membranes for reconstituting alveolar bone defects. Considering the significant progress made in the research on Zn-based BMs for potential clinical applications, the challenges and promising research directions are proposed and discussed.

Keywords: Biocompatibility; Biodegradable metals; Bone fracture healing; Bone tissue engineering; Guided bone regeneration; Zinc.

Publication types

Review