Collagen-based biomaterials for bone tissue engineering

In recent years, there has been increasing interest in using biomimetic materials for bone tissue engineering. However, the high immunogenicity and low mechanical properties of biomimetic materials limit their applications in vivo. As an essential component of the extracellular matrix in bone tissue, collagen is ideal because it easily degrades and has strong plasticity and low immunogenicity. However, pure collagen alone does not yield satisfactory experimental results. Therefore, biomimetic bone tissue engineering scaffolds are often prepared together with other bioactive materials to better replicate the bone tissue’s biological microenvironment. To better understand the engineered scaffolds, we have summarized and analyzed current research in collagen-based biomimetic bone tissue engineering. This review focuses on the acquisition and processing of collagen, the mechanisms involved in collagen-induced osteogenesis, the biomimetic materials composed of collagen and different materials, and the application of collagen-based bioactive materials in bone tissue engineering.