Bioactive glass scaffolds for vascularized bone tissue engineering: A comprehensive review

Bone tissue engineering has gained increasing attention as an innovative strategy for overcoming the shortcomings associated with traditional bone grafting techniques. The success of engineered bone constructs critically depends on the establishment of functional vascularization to ensure adequate nutrient supply and waste removal. Bioactive glasses (BGs) have demonstrated exceptional potential in promoting both osteogenesis and angiogenesis, highlighting their suitability for applications in vascularized bone tissue engineering. This review examines the current state of bioactive glass-based scaffolds, focusing on their angiogenic and osteogenic properties, various compositional modifications, and integration with different biomaterial platforms. It also examines the mechanisms by which bioactive glasses promote vascularization, the function of ionic dissolution products, and the development of composite scaffolds incorporating natural and synthetic polymers. This work also examines the challenges and prospective research directions in designing bioactive glass scaffolds that can rapidly integrate with host vasculature while supporting robust bone regeneration