Tissue Engineering Approach for Reconstructing Bone Defects Using Mesenchymal Stem Cells

regeneration of large bone defects is considered a challenging task by facio-mandibularand orthopedic surgeons. in these circumstances, either bone grafts or metal implants arecurrently being used. the inherent limitations associated with these methods have directedthe attention of investigators to new technologies such as bone tissue engineering, a multidisciplinaryfield in which life science as well as engineering is involved to manufacture anappropriate bone construct. the objectives of scientists involved in this field are to designand manufacture scaffolds with appropriate chemical and physical features, to direct cell differentiationwithin the scaffold using appropriate culture conditions and finally to render theengineered construct applicable for clinical use. in this article, the main components involvedin the bone tissue engineering process have been reviewed. these include cells (with anemphasis on mesenchymal stem cells), scaffolds, growth factors and bioreactors, and tissueengineering approaches to tissue regeneration.