Repair of bone defects with gelatin-based composites: A review

Numerous biomaterials are used in bone replacement therapy to repair defects caused by trauma, inflammation, tumor resection, or skeletal abnormalities. Ideally, the replacement material must be biocompatible and must be able to be reabsorbed or to dissolve naturally as the bone grows, yielding a newly remodeled bone. Gelatin, a partially denatured derivative of collagen, is biodegradable, exhibits good biocompatibility, and is less antigenic than collagen. Gelatin-based composites, therefore, provide an excellent scaffold for bone replacement. This paper provides a review of the work of the past decade in our laboratory on the development of gelatin-based composites that are suitable for repairing bone defects. Copyright (C)2011, China Medical University. Published by Elsevier Taiwan LLC. All rights reserved.