Biodegradable Scaffold of Natural Polymer and Hydroxyapatite for Bone Tissue Engineering: A Short Review

Biodegradable polymeric scaffold is a promising area of research for cellular and tissue regeneration engineering. Many natural-based polymers have been studied as candidates for bone tissue engineering ( BTE) scaffold due to their high biocompatibility and biodegradability. Incorporating biopolymers with reinforcement particles such as hydroxyapatite ( HA) results in composites that have improved mechanical properties, osteoconductivity and bioactivity. The inclusion of HA also enables the production of biopolymer scaffolds that resembles the natural structure and composition of bone tissues. Several natural polymers have been identified, blended, functionalized and applied for designing scaffolds for numerous biomedical applications. This review intends to summarize the recent progress and roles of commonly used natural polymer/HA composites for bone tissue engineering application.