NIR light-facilitated bone tissue engineering.

In the last decades, near-infrared (NIR) light has attracted considerable attention due to its unique properties and numerous potential applications in bioimaging and disease treatment. Bone tissue engineering for bone regeneration with the help of biomaterials is currently an effective means of treating bone defects. As a controlled light source with deeper tissue penetration, NIR light can provide real-time feedback of key information on bone regeneration in vivo utilizing fluorescence imaging and be used for bone disease treatment. This review provides a comprehensive overview of NIR light-facilitated bone tissue engineering, from the introduction of NIR probes as well as NIR light-responsive materials, and the visualization of bone regeneration to the treatment of bone-related diseases. Furthermore, the existing challenges and future development directions of NIR light-based bone tissue engineering are also discussed. This article is categorized under: Diagnostic Tools > In Vivo Nanodiagnostics and Imaging Implantable Materials and Surgical Technologies > Nanotechnology in Tissue Repair and Replacement.