ABSTRACT
This chapter summarizes advances in the development of bioinspired nanomaterials to provide strength and to support complex cell–matrix interactions in bone regeneration. It demonstrates that the surface treatment of apatite nanocrystals with a peptide mimicking the terminal region of the osteonectin (ON) glycoprotein of bone resulted in an order of magnitude increase in the modulus of the composite hydrogel, with the reinforcement effect modulated by the size of the crystals. The chapter also demonstrates that osteon–mimetic composites can be generated by the nucleation and growth of calcium phosphate (CaP) crystals on the Glu-modified aligned nanofibers (NFs) followed by an layer-by-layer (LBL) lamination approach to dramatically increase CaP-to-fiber ratios, modulus, and osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow stromal (BMS) cells. BMS cells are a heterogeneous population that gives rise to multiple differentiated connective tissue cells. Hydrogels reinforced with CaP fillers are very attractive for bone tissue regeneration.
