In recent years, the combination of natural polymers with nanoparticles has permitted the developmentof sophisticated and efficient bioinspired constructs. In this regard, the incorporation of bioactive glassnanoparticles (BGNPs) confers a bioactive nature to these constructs, which can then induce theformation of a bone-like apatite layer upon immersion in a physiological environment. Moreover, theincorporation of bioactive glass nanoparticles has been found to be beneficial; the constructs proved tobe biocompatible, promote cell adhesion and spreading, and regulate osteogenic commitment. Thisreview provides a summary and discussion of the composition, design, and applications of bioinspirednanocomposite constructs based on BGNPs. Examples of nanocomposite systems will be highlightedwith relevance to biomedical applications. It is expected that understanding the principles and the stateof-the-artof natural nanocomposites may lead to breakthroughs in many research areas, including tissueengineering and orthopaedic devices. The challenges regarding the future translation of these nanostructuredcomposites into clinical use are also summarized.
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