ABSTRACT
The structure and composition of bone varies with the tissue site and its origin (e.g., lamellar versus cortical, intramembranous versus endochondral) as well as with age, diet, and health status. Engineering bone requires mimicking of key aspects of bone structure and composition to achieve the optimal functional tissue. To appreciate these characteristics, this chapter will review current knowledge of the functions of the mineral and matrix constituents, and how these functions have been assessed by studies of age and disease variations in tissue composition. Some comment will also be made on the current state of bone tissue engineering from the mineral and matrix points of view. The functions of the bone cells and their importance in bone tissue engineering were discussed in chapter 3.
