Wang Yuwen, Jan Hasnain, Zhong Zheng, Zhou Liangbin, Teng Kexin, Chen Ye, Xu Jiankun, Xie Denghui, Chen Dexin, Xu Jiake, Qin Ling, Tuan Rocky S, Li Zhong Alan
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China.
Center for Neuromusculoskeletal Restorative Medicine, Hong Kong Science Park, NT, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China.
Mater Today Bio. 2025 Apr 17;32:101773. doi: 10.1016/j.mtbio.2025.101773. eCollection 2025 Jun.
Bone and joint diseases are debilitating conditions that can result in significant functional impairment or even permanent disability. Multiscale metal-based nanocomposites, which integrate hierarchical structures ranging from the nanoscale to the macroscale, have emerged as a promising solution to this challenge. These materials combine the unique properties of metal-based nanoparticles (MNPs), such as enzyme-like activities, stimuli responsiveness, and photothermal conversion, with advanced manufacturing techniques, such as 3D printing and biohybrid systems. The integration of MNPs within polymer or ceramic matrices offers a degree of control over the mechanical strength, antimicrobial efficacy, and the manner of drug delivery, whilst concomitantly promoting the processes of osteogenesis and chondrogenesis. This review highlights breakthroughs in stimulus-responsive MNPs (e.g., photo-, magnetically-, or pH-activated systems) for on-demand therapy and their integration with biocomposite hybrids containing cells or extracellular vesicles to mimic the native tissue microenvironment. The applications of these composites are extensive, ranging from bone defects, infections, tumors, to degenerative joint diseases. The review emphasizes the enhanced load-bearing capacity, bioactivity, and tissue integration that can be achieved through hierarchical designs. Notwithstanding the potential of these applications, significant barriers to progress persist, including challenges related to long-term biocompatibility, regulatory hurdles, and scalable manufacturing. Finally, we propose future directions, including machine learning-guided design and patient-specific biomanufacturing to accelerate clinical translation. Multiscale metal-based nanocomposites, which bridge nanoscale innovations with macroscale functionality, are a revolutionary force in the field of biomedical engineering, providing personalized regenerative solutions for bone and joint diseases.
骨骼和关节疾病是使人衰弱的病症，可导致严重的功能障碍甚至永久性残疾。多尺度金属基纳米复合材料整合了从纳米尺度到宏观尺度的分层结构，已成为应对这一挑战的有前途的解决方案。这些材料将金属基纳米颗粒（MNP）的独特性能，如类酶活性、刺激响应性和光热转换，与先进的制造技术，如3D打印和生物杂交系统相结合。将MNP整合到聚合物或陶瓷基质中，可以在一定程度上控制机械强度、抗菌效果和药物递送方式，同时促进成骨和软骨形成过程。本综述重点介绍了用于按需治疗的刺激响应性MNP（如光、磁或pH激活系统）的突破，以及它们与含有细胞或细胞外囊泡的生物复合杂化物的整合，以模拟天然组织微环境。这些复合材料的应用广泛，从骨缺损、感染、肿瘤到退行性关节疾病。该综述强调了通过分层设计可以实现的增强的承重能力、生物活性和组织整合。尽管这些应用具有潜力，但进展仍存在重大障碍，包括与长期生物相容性、监管障碍和可扩展制造相关的挑战。最后，我们提出了未来的方向，包括机器学习指导的设计和针对患者的生物制造，以加速临床转化。多尺度金属基纳米复合材料将纳米尺度的创新与宏观尺度的功能联系起来，是生物医学工程领域的一股变革力量，为骨骼和关节疾病提供个性化的再生解决方案。
