The Study of Skeletal Diseases
A special issue of Cells (ISSN 2073-4409). This special issue belongs to the section "Cellular Pathology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026
Special Issue Editor
Interests: TGF-β signaling; chondrocyte biology; skeletal diseases
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Skeletal diseases—including osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, spinal and craniofacial disorders, and primary or metastatic bone cancers—constitute a major global health burden leading to chronic pain, deformity, and loss of function. Beyond bone and cartilage, disease processes affect the synovium, tendon, ligament, spine, and skull, all dynamically interacting with immune, vascular, and neural networks, as well as stem and progenitor cell niches. Recent advances in single-cell and spatial multi-omics, mechanobiology, and high-resolution imaging have revolutionized our understanding of skeletal tissue development, degeneration, and tumorigenesis—unveiling complex cell–cell signaling and microenvironmental remodeling that drive both degenerative and neoplastic pathologies.
Meanwhile, artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a powerful enabler of skeletal research, integrating imaging, omics, and clinical data to identify molecular signatures, automate histopathological assessment, and predict disease progression and therapeutic response. AI-driven analyses are accelerating the discovery of biomarkers and drug targets across degenerative, inflammatory, and malignant skeletal conditions.
This Special Issue, “The Study of Skeletal Diseases”, aims to showcase these transformative advances that bridge molecular biology, bioengineering, computational science, and clinical translation, ultimately fostering new precision diagnostics and regenerative or anti-cancer therapies to improve skeletal health and quality of life worldwide.
Dr. Weiguang Wang
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- skeletal diseases
- bone
- cartilage
- synovium
- tendon
- ligament
- spine
- craniofacial skeleton
- immune–skeletal interaction
- vascular and neural networks
- stem and progenitor cells
- artificial intelligence (AI)
- single-cell and spatial genomics
- imaging and bioengineering
- regenerative medicine
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