This paper, recently accepted in Biomacromolecules, is the result of a collaboration between our group, the Department of Functional Materials in Medicine and Dentistry, University of Würzburg, Germany, and Christchurch Regenerative Medicine and Tissue Engineering Group, Dept. of Orthopaedic Surgery, Centre for Bioengineering & Nanomedicine, University of Otago Christchurch, New Zealand.