Periprosthetic osteolysis was first described as a cystic erosion of bone by Charnley in 1975. Since then it has been widely studied in vitro, animal and retrieval studies. Aseptic loosening resulting from periprosthetic osteolysis continues to be an important cause of hip implant failure. Wear particles from the bearing surfaces play a major role in initiating periprosthetic osteolysis, which is also potentiated by mechanical factors. The precise mechanism by which wear particles induce periprosthetic osteolysis have not been fully elucidated and remain an active subject of research. Particle characteristics such as composition, size, shape and number are recognized to significantly affect the overall cell and tissue response. The production of corrosion products also is a clinically significant issue, and individual variability in innate and adaptive immune responses is important but not yet completely defined. The increasing number of arthroplasty that is performed on younger patients in last decades and a better understanding of the biological activity of the wearing particles in the weight bearing surfaces have made the development of a lesser corrosive materials more important. This paper presents a review of the literature that addresses the biologic activity of wear particles from these different types of bearing materials.