Vascularization Reconstruction Strategies in Craniofacial Bone Regeneration

Abstract

Craniofacial bone defects are usually secondary to accident trauma, resection of tumor, sever inflammation, and congenital disease. The defects of craniofacial bones impact esthetic appearance and functionality such as mastication, pronunciation, and facial features. During the craniofacial bone regeneration process, different osteogenic cells are introduced, including primary osteoblasts or pluripotent stem cells. However, the defect area is initially avascular, resulting in the death of the introduced cells and failed regeneration. Thus, it is vital to establish vascularization strategies to build a timely and abundant blood vessel supply network. This review paper therefore focuses on the reconstruction of both osteogenesis and vasculogenesis. The current challenges, various strategies, and latest efforts applied to enhance vascularization in craniofacial bone regeneration are discussed. These involve the application of angiogenic growth factors and cell-based vascularization strategies. In addition, surface morphology, porous characters, and the angiogenic release property of scaffolds also have a fundamental effect on vasculogenesis via cell behavior and are further discussed.