Mesoporous bioactive glasses as drug delivery and bone tissue regeneration platforms.

The use of mesoporous bioactive glasses (MBG) for drug delivery and bone tissue regeneration has grown significantly over the past 5 years. In this article, we highlight recent advances made in the preparation of MBG particles, spheres, fibers and scaffolds. The advantages of MBG for drug delivery and bone scaffold applications are related to this material's well-ordered mesopore channel structure, superior bioactivity and its capability to deliver both hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs. A brief forward-looking perspective on the potential clinical applications of MBG in regenerative medicine is also discussed.