There are often various causes of bone defects in clinics. A new approach has been put forward in recent years to settle the problem, which is bone tissue engineering. Novel osteospecific growth factors are very important to the bone tissue engineering, because of the efforts to enhance bone regeneration. Nel-like type 1（NELL-1）growth factor, a potent growth factor associated with craniosynostosis, is highly specific to the osteochondral lineage, and has demonstrated induction of bone in multiple in various models. And unlike bone morphogenetic protein-2, NELL-1 growth factor cannot initiate ectopic bone formation in muscle. This review summarized the studies on NELL-1 growth factor that had relevance to bone tissue engineering, especially in craniomaxillofacial filed.
