Scaffold-Based Stem Cell Approaches for Bone Engineering
A special issue of Journal of Functional Biomaterials (ISSN 2079-4983). This special issue belongs to the section "Bone Biomaterials".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2026 | Viewed by 232
Special Issue Editors
Interests: biomaterials; tissue engineering; regenerative medicine; immunooncology
Interests: cell morphology; tissue engineering; stem cell –based therapy; bioconstruct design; regenerative medicine
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues
Bone tissue injuries are affecting millions of people worldwide and decreasing their quality of life. Biomaterials are an essential scaffolding substance that can be engineered to deliver stem cells or growth factors for bone regeneration. Combining mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) with a biocompatible scaffold to induce a favorable microenvironment that supports the bone tissue regeneration process is a new approach in bone therapy. Various biomaterials such as natural and synthetic polymers, ceramics, and their composites have been identified. Two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds that combine with MSCs originating from different tissues have been used for bone regeneration. The integration of stem cells with scaffold materials and the recruitment of growth factors are essential factors that determine success in bone regeneration. Tissue engineering approaches for bone defect repair have attempted to mimic the natural process of bone healing by delivering proliferative and differentiable cells into osteoblasts, and degradable scaffold molecules might support cellular attachment and migration and enhance MSC osteogenesis. The choice of the appropriate scaffold material is driven by several factors such as clinical application and resorbability, as well as mechanical properties in the case of load-bearing bone. Even though several approaches have been tested, including the combination of different biomaterials with MSCs, it is still challenging to design bioconstructs that can achieve reliable bone repair and realize biomimetic bone regeneration. Therefore, experimental in vitro and in vivo models of bone engineering strategies that enhance fracture repair and improve vascularization are necessary
The aim of this Special Issue is to demonstrate new solutions in the engineering of biomaterials combined with mesenchymal stem/stromal cells originating from different sources for bone repair and clinical applications. This Special Issue is open to both original papers and reviews. The topics of interest include but are not limited to the following:
- Advances in biomaterials for bone tissue engineering;
- Scaffold preparation and modification techniques;
- Biomolecule incorporation into the scaffold to regulate cellular behavior in bone regeneration;
- Stem/stromal cell biology in bone engineering;
- Interaction between MSCs and the scaffold’s surface;
- Osteogenic potential of MSCs grown on scaffolds fabricated with various components;
- Application of new solutions in bone tissue engineering in preclinical and clinical studies.
Dr. Piotr Grzegorz Grelewski
Prof. Dr. Julia Bar
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- bone tissue engineering
- regenerative medicine
- biomaterials
- scaffolds
- mesenchymal stem/stromal cells
- incorporated biomolecule
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