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Molecular Research on Orthopedic Materials

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Materials Science".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2026 | Viewed by 85

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Dongguk University, Seoul 10326, Republic of Korea
Interests: tissue engineering; hydrogel; bone; bone tissue engineering

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to invite you to submit your latest research for this Special Issue, which will be focused on the transformative role of molecular sciences in orthopedic and musculoskeletal materials. The restoration of functional bone, cartilage, and skeletal muscle remains a significant challenge, necessitating cutting-edge innovations in stimulus-responsive biomaterials and 4D bioprinting that can precisely modulate biological responses at the molecular level. This Special Issue will bridge the gap between material engineering and regenerative biology, with a particular emphasis on minimally invasive injectable systems, immunomodulatory scaffolds, and nano-architectonics for spatiotemporal control of the regenerative microenvironment. We welcome original research articles and comprehensive reviews exploring mechanotransduction, bioactive "drug-free" strategies, and smart delivery systems tailored to bone and muscle tissue engineering. By highlighting these innovative interdisciplinary approaches, this Special Issue will promote evidence-based strategies that significantly improve tissue integration and long-term clinical efficacy. We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Seung Hun Lee
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • orthopedic biomaterials
  • bone regeneration
  • musculoskeletal system
  • muscle tissue engineering
  • 3D bioprinting
  • functional scaffolds
  • hydrogels
  • cell–material interaction
  • regenerative medicine
  • myogenic differentiation

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

29 pages, 3130 KB  
Review
Adhesive Hydrogels as Fixation and Regeneration Platforms in Cartilage Surgery: Rethinking Scaffold-Tissue Integration from a Clinical Perspective
by Hyejin Jo and Seunghun S. Lee
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2026, 27(10), 4600; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27104600 - 20 May 2026
Abstract
Articular cartilage defects affect millions of patients annually and pose one of the most persistent challenges in orthopedic surgery, owing to the tissue’s inherent avascular and alymphatic nature. Current surgical approaches, microfracture, autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI/MACI), and osteochondral grafting, share a common failure [...] Read more.
Articular cartilage defects affect millions of patients annually and pose one of the most persistent challenges in orthopedic surgery, owing to the tissue’s inherent avascular and alymphatic nature. Current surgical approaches, microfracture, autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI/MACI), and osteochondral grafting, share a common failure mode: inadequate adhesion between repair constructs and surrounding native cartilage, contributing to deterioration rates of 15–75% at five-year follow-up across all techniques. This review repositions adhesion not as a supplementary material property but as the central determinant of clinical success in cartilage repair. We systematically evaluate the biomechanical demands imposed by the joint environment and define clinically relevant adhesion thresholds. Adhesive hydrogel strategies are categorized by surgical context: microfracture augmentation, ACI/MACI enhancement, osteochondral graft integration, and standalone repair platforms. Material platforms are analyzed across catechol/dopamine systems, NHS ester chemistry, photocrosslinkable hydrogels, supramolecular approaches, and multi-mechanism hybrids. Injectable formulations for arthroscopic delivery are critically examined alongside key translational barriers, including fatigue durability, biocompatibility–adhesion trade-offs, sterilization compatibility, batch variability, and regulatory classification ambiguity. Future directions encompass 4D bioprinting, AI-guided formulation optimization, and stimuli-responsive reversible adhesion systems. Adhesive hydrogels represent the missing link that current cartilage repair paradigms require. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Research on Orthopedic Materials)
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