Li Kunwei, Cao Huan, Huang Hao, Tang Songyuan, Wang Han, Yang Qing, Hu Yonghe, Weng Jie, Chen Xin
School of Life Science and Engineering, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Jiaotong University, The Third People's Hospital of Chengdu, Chengdu 610031, China.
National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China.
Regen Biomater. 2025 Mar 18;12:rbaf014. doi: 10.1093/rb/rbaf014. eCollection 2025.
Bone-related diseases pose a major challenge in contemporary society, with significant implications for both health and economy. Copper, a vital trace metal in the human body, facilitates a wide range of physiological processes by being crucial for the function of proteins and enzymes. Numerous studies have validated copper's role in bone regeneration and protection, particularly in the development and expansion of bone collagen. Owing to copper's numerous biological advantages, an increasing number of scientists are endeavoring to fabricate novel, multifunctional copper-containing biomaterials as an effective treatment strategy for bone disorders. This review integrates the current understanding regarding the biological functions of copper from the molecular and cellular levels, highlighting its potential for bone regeneration and protection. It also reviews the novel fabrication techniques for developing copper-containing biomaterials, including copper-modified metals, calcium phosphate bioceramics, bioactive glasses, bone cements, hydrogels and biocomposites. The fabrication strategies and various applications of these biomaterials in addressing conditions such as fractures, bone tumors, osteomyelitis, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis and osteonecrosis are carefully elaborated. Moreover, the long-term safety and toxicity assessments of these biomaterials are also presented. Finally, the review addresses current challenges and future prospects, in particular the regulatory challenges and safety issues faced in clinical implementation, with the aim of guiding the strategic design of multifunctional copper-based biomaterials to effectively manage bone-related diseases.
骨相关疾病在当代社会构成了重大挑战，对健康和经济都有重大影响。铜是人体中一种重要的微量金属，通过对蛋白质和酶的功能至关重要，促进了广泛的生理过程。大量研究证实了铜在骨再生和保护中的作用，特别是在骨胶原蛋白的发育和扩展方面。由于铜具有众多生物学优势，越来越多的科学家致力于制造新型多功能含铜生物材料，作为治疗骨疾病的有效策略。本综述整合了目前从分子和细胞水平对铜生物学功能的认识，突出了其在骨再生和保护方面的潜力。它还回顾了开发含铜生物材料的新型制造技术，包括铜改性金属、磷酸钙生物陶瓷、生物活性玻璃、骨水泥、水凝胶和生物复合材料。详细阐述了这些生物材料在治疗骨折、骨肿瘤、骨髓炎、骨质疏松症、骨关节炎和骨坏死等病症中的制造策略和各种应用。此外，还介绍了这些生物材料的长期安全性和毒性评估。最后，该综述阐述了当前的挑战和未来前景，特别是临床实施中面临的监管挑战和安全问题，旨在指导多功能铜基生物材料的战略设计，以有效管理骨相关疾病。
