Maybe PLA or PGA?

Hi, 

Well a very debatable topic, everything depends on the final application of the material. A composite or cocktail of natural and synthetic biomaterials can serve the purpose. Usually a dozen of different factors come into play, the tissue micro architecture, the geometry, the functional gradients. Researchers have used PLLA , PLA , PGA to PGS in a gazillion different ways and fabrication techniques. The trend of playing around with ratios percentages and other bioactive agent incorporation has been played around soo much so i feel real innovation is kind of loosing its touch over time. 

Nevertheless, answer to your question is there is no best material for single application. Hope this helps. 

BW

Saad

It is always difficult to say one is better than other. Fabrication method and properties of scaffold can be two important and critical parameters for the selection of polymer (if you ignore the cost). Usually, co polymers (PLDLA, PLLA, etc..) shows varying mechanical and physico-chemical properties for simple reasons for their composition change. Therefore, PCL PLA, or PGA etc. could be better but still conditions apply. We use PCl because better mechanical properties and low cost. There are many other important reason like interactions and stability with nanoparticles (in composites scaffolds). 

 It all depends on the purpose and design of your study. Some good reviews to give you a good insight are:

1) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28447671

2) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28386538

3) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28371447

4) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28194530

Thank you so much for all responses so far. 

Thank you for sharing so many tips about biomaterials. 

I knew this question would be complicated, but I would like to hear people' experience of this. Thank you for your time.

For a somewhat related discussion: https://www.researchgate.net/post/Is_there_any_bio-activity_explanation_of_hydroxyapatite_towards_bone_growth_or_with_surrounding_tissues/1

for bone tissue engineering all of your polymers can be used... preparation of hybrid materials using combination of  synthetic and natural bio-polymers may give you better results.. natural bio-polymers like collagen, keratin, fibrin can be utilized for the preparation of better scaffolds..  

Everything depend on the final application of the product, since every polymer has their characteristic. Most of synthetic polymer are hydrophobic so it's better you combine it with natural bio polymer so it will support cell attachment better.

There are manufactured bone scaffolds made from b-TCP. The 3D printed bioceramic scaffolds are developed to resemble native bone with respect to both physical and structural properties, such as high contents of β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) and stiffness, as well as macro- and micro-porosities. https://ilexlife.com/products/ossiform-p3d-scaffolds