Bone Tissue Morphology: From Pathophysiological Mechanisms to Regenerative Strategies

A Special Issue of Biomolecules (ISSN 2218-273X) belonging to the section "Molecular Medicine".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2026 | Viewed by 413

Editor


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Guest Editor
Laboratory of Mineralized Tissues, Center for Translational and Clinical Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Interests: bone morphogenetic proteins; osteoprotegerin; cytokines; bone microarchitecture; bone metabolism; bone osteoporosis

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Bone tissue plays multiple roles in the human body and is closely connected with various organ systems. Prominently, in the skeleton, it provides a scaffold for the specimen phenotype and protection for crucial organs. Besides these roles, it enables movement through muscle connection via tendons, facilitates hematopoiesis in bone marrow, and participates in calcium metabolism. Two processes mediate osteogenesis: endochondral bone formation through cartilaginous templates and intramembranous ossification through the direct condensation of bone-forming cells. A notable feature of the skeletal system is its high regeneration potential through cartilage and bone callus remodeling. Numerous disorders can influence bone formation, remodeling, and fracture repair, resulting in pathological changes to the skeletal morphology.

This Special Issue will showcase basic and translational research on pathophysiological mechanisms altering bone tissue morphology, experimental therapeutic advancements in fracture repair, and other strategies in regenerative medicine. Authors are invited to contribute comprehensive reviews and original research articles to this Special Issue.

Dr. Igor Erjavec
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • osteoporosis
  • bone cancer
  • fracture repair
  • regenerative biomaterials
  • bone remodeling
  • molecular mechanisms
  • biomechanical mechanisms
  • bone imaging techniques

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

36 pages, 6052 KB  
Review
Mechanism-Oriented Biomaterial Strategies for Bone Regeneration in BRONJ: From Pathological Barriers to Evidence-Matched Repair
by Aiming Jiang, Juntong Liao, Yinyin Shi, Wenyan Song, Sisi Luo, Longjiang Li and Zhuoyuan Zhang
Biomolecules 2026, 16(9), 1259; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom16091259 - 31 Aug 2026
Viewed by 134
Abstract
Bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (BRONJ) remains a challenging complication of bisphosphonate therapy because jaw extraction sockets exposed to bisphosphonates represent impaired wound environments rather than ordinary bone defects. This narrative review summarizes clinical, cellular, animal, and biomaterial evidence on the mechanisms that [...] Read more.
Bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (BRONJ) remains a challenging complication of bisphosphonate therapy because jaw extraction sockets exposed to bisphosphonates represent impaired wound environments rather than ordinary bone defects. This narrative review summarizes clinical, cellular, animal, and biomaterial evidence on the mechanisms that limit BRONJ repair and discusses how these pathological barriers can inform local material design. Current evidence suggests that BRONJ repair is constrained by impaired osteoclast-mediated remodeling, osteocyte and osteoblast dysfunction, oxidative stress, unresolved inflammation, angiogenic insufficiency, microbial challenge, mucosal instability, and changes in bone material properties. Biomaterial strategies investigated to date include local delivery of regenerative factors, restoration of remodeling activity, extracellular vesicles, nucleic acid nanostructures, platelet-derived matrices, antibacterial and ion-releasing hydrogels, angiogenic or lymphangiogenic systems, and mechanically adaptive scaffolds. Most studies remain preclinical and are based on rodent extraction or mandibular defect models, and few establish a direct causal link between a specific material property and durable BRONJ resolution. Future materials should be judged not only by their ability to enhance bone formation, but also by whether they can re-establish a sealed, vascularized, immune-balanced, and remodeling-competent socket capable of sustained jawbone repair. Full article
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