Critical elements in tissue engineering of craniofacial malformations

• Published in: Regenerative medicine 2023-06, Vol.18 (6), p.487-504
• Main Authors: Gholamalizadeh, Ali, Nazifkerdar, Sajed, Safdarian, Nasim, Ziaee, Aida Eyvaz, Mobedi, Hamid, Rahbarghazi, Reza, Khanmohammadi, Mehdi, Saghati, Sepideh
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: angiogenesis; Bone Diseases; cleft palate; Cleft Palate - therapy; Craniofacial Abnormalities - therapy; craniofacial malformations; craniosynostosis; generating hydrogels; Humans; mandibular malformations; Osteogenesis; oxygen supplementation; oxygen-releasing scaffolds; Tissue Engineering; tissue-engineering approaches
• ISSN: 1746-0751; 1746-076X
• DOI: 10.2217/rme-2022-0128

Abnormal craniofacial bone fusion can lead to the generation of several congenital malformations such as cleft palate, craniosynostosis and craniofacial skeletal hypoplasia, which physically and mentally affect patients. Conventional approaches for the treatment of craniofacial malformations such as the transplantation of autologous bone grafts are not completely efficient and usually, patients suffer from various complications. In line with these statements, the advent of novel therapeutic approaches in human medicine is mandatory. Regarding the extent, size and severity of the bone malformation, supplementation and release of oxygen molecules into the affected sites are critical issues for successful osteogenesis. Here, tissue engineering modalities associated with oxygen supplementation and novel approaches associated with hydrogel synthesis were highlighted in terms of craniofacial malformations. Craniofacial anomalies are a group of conditions that can affect a person's head and facial tissue, mostly bones. These abnormalities can be categorized from mild to severe and commonly include the separation in the lip and the palate (cleft palate), the early joining of the baby's skull bone (craniosynostosis) and problems with the lower jawbone (mandibular defects). Several surgical methods are available to treat these abnormalities, which are invasive and have many disadvantages. In this review, we discuss new treatments in regenerative medicine as well as the importance factors of such as oxygen delivery in these methods. The provision of oxygen plays a key role in the growth of new blood vessels, cellular growth and bone tissue reconstruction.