Matrices of Different Natures for Bone Tissue Engineering—A Comparative Analysis

Recent decades have been characterized by increasing numbers of bone tissue injuries and diseases resulting in the formation of bone defects. The number of such bone defects has also grown due to active surgical approaches implemented after surgical interventions for oncological, infectious, and dystrophic bone lesions. To repair such bone defects requires the use of bone tissue substitutes. Nowadays, constructs based on matrices of various compositions and structures, supplemented with the addition of biologically active components (including growth factors and cells), are the most promising approaches used in bone tissue engineering. The properties of the matrices are of the utmost importance in construct formation. This work presents the results of a comprehensive study of matrices of various natures intended for the formation of complex constructs for bone tissue engineering. Using a set of methods for studying the physical, mechanical, and biological characteristics, the total and associated porosity of the studied matrices, the structure, the mechanical parameters, and the level of cytotoxicity and cytocompatibility were determined. It was shown that all the studied materials were not cytotoxic (cytotoxicity rank of all matrices = 0-1). All matrices were porous, but samples of materials of biological origin had large pores ranging in size from 100 to 1000 μm, and pores of the hybrid polymer were sized from 0.1 to 100 μm. Total and open porosity ranged from 89% and 79% for the allogeneic matrix up to 67% and 48% for the hybrid polymer, respectively, while the σ values (compressive stress at break) of samples of all studied materials were close to each other. When human test culture MSCs interact with samples of these materials, it was shown that the cells adhere to the surface and structure of all materials and retain typical morphology, while also demonstrating the ability to proliferate and migrate along the surface and into the matrix structure, i.e., all materials are cytocompatible. Based on the data obtained, it can be assumed that all the studied matrices can be used for model biomedical studies and as a basis for constructs for bone tissue engineering. An adequate choice of research method at the earliest stages of the development of each material will ensure the most effective approaches for further work and subsequent use of this product.