Nanogels as smart delivery systems for bioactive compounds in bone regeneration: a review

Bone regeneration remains a critical challenge in tissue engineering and requires innovative strategies to promote the efficient healing and restoration of bone function. Nanogels have emerged as promising carriers for bioactive compounds in bone repair applications owing to their nanoscale size, high surface area and tunable drug delivery properties. This review explored the potential of nanogels infused with bone-related bioactive compounds, such as growth factors and osteogenic peptides, designed for localized and controlled release at the defect site. The unique physicochemical properties of nanogels, including biocompatibility, biodegradability and ability to respond to environmental stimuli, make them ideal vehicles for sustained therapeutic delivery. Bioactive compounds play a pivotal role in bone regeneration by promoting the natural healing process of bone tissues. These compounds stimulate osteogenesis, enhance cell proliferation, and modulate the local microenvironment to support bone repair. By facilitating the controlled release of these bioactive agents, nanogels can enhance osteogenesis, improve bone healing and minimize off-target effects. In this review, we discuss the role of nanogels in biomedical applications, explore various fabrication techniques and their role as therapeutic agents in various biomedical applications, and highlight their role in bone tissue engineering.