Multifunctional Bioactive Magnetic Scaffolds with Tailored Features for Bone Tissue Engineering

This chapter would represent a guide for the reader in the path that goes toward more recent and innovative approaches in bone tissue regeneration. Starting from an introduction on tissue engineering approaches and an overview on the scaffold fabrication methods and materials, the chapter will first provide concepts related to surface presentation and modification routes, finally approaching to the fascinating field of bioactive magnetic scaffolds. In this context, the basic principles of magnetism and magnetic materials will be reported, starting from a brief hint to current medical applications of magnetism, such as drug and gene delivery, hyperthermia treatment of tumors and radionuclide therapy, magneto-mechanical stimulation or activation of cell-constructs and mechanosensitive ion channels, magnetic cell-seeding procedures, and controlled cell proliferation and differentiation. The potential to design multifunctional and bioactive 3D structures for in situ and on-demand release of drugs and/or growth factors, as well as for advanced fixation systems, will be highlighted.