Bioceramics form a versatile large family of biocompatible materials with
diverse applications in the medical setting. These substances can be classified into
distinct groups, including almost bio-inert ceramics (e.g., alumina), bioactive glasses
and glass-ceramics, and moderately to quickly bioresorbable ceramics (e.g.,
hydroxyapatite and tricalcium phosphates, respectively). Bioceramics are
conventionally used for healing hard tissue injuries due to their excellent properties,
including mechanical performance. From a biological perspective, bioceramics exhibit
outstanding features (e.g., inducing osteogenesis) in favor of bone reconstruction.
Considering the central role of angiogenesis in tissue healing, different formulations of
bioceramics have been demonstrated to have stimulatory effects on neovessel
formation. Apart from physical properties (e.g., surface micron and nano topography),
the chemical composition of bioceramics greatly affects their angiogenic capacity in
vitro and in vivo. Several additional approaches are now well-established in order to
increase the angiogenic activity of bioceramics, including adding pro-angiogenic
dopants (e.g., copper and silicon) and loading pro-angiogenic bioactive molecules (e.g.,
vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)). In this sense, the degradation rate of
bioceramics is a key property commonly mentioned to effectively promote
angiogenesis. Cellular and molecular experiments have revealed the signaling
pathways involved in angiogenesis which are activated by ionic dissolution products
released from bioceramics. In this manner, this review highlights the new positive role
that bioceramics can play in angiogenesis.
Keywords: Angiogenesis, Bioactive glasses (BGs), Bioceramics, Calcium phosphates (CaPs), Calcium silicate bioceramics, Calcium sulphate bioceramics, Chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay, Endothelial cells (ECs), Hydroxyapatite (HAp), Ion release, In vitro, In vivo, Mesoporous bioactive glasses (MBGs), Neovascularization, Scaffold, Surface topography, Three-dimensional (3D) printing, Tissue engineering, Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), Wound healing.
