Advanced Polymeric Materials for Bone, Cartilage, and Skeletal Muscle Regeneration

Dear Colleagues,

The regeneration of bone, cartilage, and skeletal muscle represents a critical frontier in orthopedics, sports medicine, and trauma rehabilitation. Traditional approaches, such as autografts and allografts, face persistent challenges including donor scarcity, immune rejection, and inadequate mechanical or functional integration. Polymeric materials have emerged as transformative tools in addressing these limitations by offering biomimetic designs that replicate the structural, biochemical, and biomechanical complexity of native tissues. Recent advancements in polymer chemistry, biofabrication, and functionalization now enable the precise engineering of materials tailored to the unique demands of bone, cartilage, and skeletal muscle repair. This Special Issue will highlight innovative polymeric strategies focusing exclusively on these three tissue types, emphasizing interdisciplinary collaboration and pathways to clinical translation.

Polymeric systems are uniquely suited to musculoskeletal regeneration due to their tunable biodegradability, load-bearing adaptability, and capacity to mimic tissue-specific extracellular matrices (ECMs). Emerging technologies such as 3D bioprinting, electrospinning, and biohybrid systems now enable the fabrication of hierarchical architectures that mirror the anisotropy and functionality of these tissues. For instance, bone regeneration necessitates rigid, osteoconductive scaffolds that support vascular ingrowth and mineralization while resisting mechanical failure. Cartilage repair requires elastic, lubricious hydrogels capable of enduring cyclic stress, reducing inflammation, and promoting chondrocyte proliferation in avascular environments. Similarly, skeletal muscle regeneration demands aligned, electroactive polymers that facilitate myoblast differentiation, neuromuscular junction formation, and functional recovery post-injury.

For this Special Issue, we welcome contributions that bridge material innovation and unmet clinical needs in trauma, degenerative disorders (e.g., osteoarthritis), and age-related musculoskeletal degeneration. We invite the submission of original research articles, reviews, and perspective pieces that explore the synthesis, characterization, and functionalization of polymers to address unmet needs in healthcare. Submissions may cover, but are not limited to, the following themes:

• Design and Synthesis of Functional Polymers: Advances in biodegradable, stimulus-responsive, and self-healing polymers for bone tissue engineering and implantable devices.
• Polymer-Based Drug Delivery Systems for Musculoskeletal Degeneration (e.g., Osteoarthritis, Osteoporosis): Spatiotemporal control of therapeutic agent release using smart polymeric carriers, including nanoparticles, micelles, and injectable hydrogels.
• Advanced Fabrication Technologies and 3D Printing: Development of polymer-based bioinks and hybrid scaffolds for creating patient-specific constructs with enhanced mechanical and biological performance.
• Multifunctional Polymeric Composites: Integration of bioactive molecules (e.g., growth factors, peptides) or nanomaterials to enhance cellular adhesion, differentiation, and antimicrobial properties.
• Biocompatibility and Regulatory Considerations: Evaluation of polymer degradation kinetics, immune response modulation, and pathways toward clinical validation.

By fostering collaboration among materials scientists, biologists, and clinicians, we aim to accelerate the translation of polymeric innovations into practical solutions that improve patient outcomes. Contributions addressing the intersection of polymer science and emerging fields—such as AI-driven material design, biohybrid systems, or sustainable polymer synthesis—are particularly encouraged. We welcome submissions that demonstrate how polymeric materials can overcome existing limitations in musculoskeletal regeneration, ultimately enhancing the quality of life for individuals affected by injuries, degenerative diseases, or congenital disorders. Through this collective effort, we aim to advance the frontiers of polymer-based biomedical technologies and their integration into mainstream clinical practice.

Dr. Jian Li
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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• polymeric materials
• bone regeneration
• cartilage repair
• skeletal muscle regeneration
• 3D bioprinting
• drug delivery systems
• biodegradable polymers
• smart materials