Though bone has a remarkable innate ability to heal itself after damage and illness, external support is required for bone repair to treat large defects and infections. This external support can take the form of structures that hold the damaged parts in place and/or bioactive materials that help stimulate regeneration.

Bone autografts and allografts are currently the gold-standard for treating bone defects. However, both these methods have several limitations, such as immune system rejections, morbidity issues, and transfer of infectious diseases.