Bone tissue engineering has emerged as a significant research area that provides promising novel tools for the preparation of biomimetic
hydrogels applied in bone-related diseases (e.g., bone defects, cartilage damage,
osteoarthritis, etc.). Herein, thermal sensitive
polymers (e.g.,
PNIPAAm,
Soluplus, etc.) were introduced into main chains to fabricate biomimetic
hydrogels with injectability and compatibility for those bone defect need
minimally invasive surgery.
Mineral ions (e.g.,
calcium,
copper,
zinc, and
magnesium), as an indispensable role in maintaining the balance of the organism, were linked with
polymer chains to form functional
hydrogels for accelerating bone regeneration. In the chemically triggered
hydrogel section, advanced
hydrogels crosslinked by different molecular agents (e.g.,
genipin,
dopamine,
caffeic acid, and
tannic acid) possess many advantages, including extensive selectivity, rapid gel-forming capacity and tunable mechanical property. Additionally, photo crosslinking
hydrogel with rapid response and mild condition can be triggered by different photoinitiators (e.g., I2959, LAP,
eosin Y,
riboflavin, etc.) under specific wavelength of light. Moreover,
enzyme triggered
hydrogels were also utilized in the tissue regeneration due to its rapid gel-forming capacity and excellent biocompatibility. Particularly, some key factors that can determine the
therapy effect for bone tissue engineering were also mentioned. Finally, brief summaries and remaining issues on how to properly design clinical-oriented
hydrogels were provided in this review.