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Updated: Jul 16, 2026
10:28
Biological Compatibility Profile on Biomaterials for Bone Regeneration
Published on: November 16, 2018
Enhancing Bone Repair Process: Application and Perspective on Photothermal Materials.
Xuchen Yan1, Chuanpeng Zhou1, Hanyue Mao1
1College of Science, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha 410073, China.
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
|July 15, 2026
Summary
Mild near-infrared photothermal therapy (PTT) offers a promising approach for bone defect repair by precisely controlling temperature to enhance healing. This method activates osteogenic signals and modulates the immune microenvironment for accelerated bone regeneration.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Regenerative Medicine
- Orthopedic Surgery
Background:
- Large bone defects present significant challenges in orthopedic treatment.
- Near-infrared (NIR) photothermal therapy (PTT) is emerging as a novel strategy for bone regeneration, moving beyond tumor ablation.
- Mild PTT (40-42 °C) promotes bone healing by stimulating osteogenic signals, regulating immune responses, and exhibiting antibacterial properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the applications of various photothermal conversion materials for mild PTT in bone repair.
- To analyze the role of photothermal therapy in immune regulation and sequential repair strategies.
- To discuss challenges and future directions for developing advanced smart bone repair materials.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on NIR-PTT for bone regeneration.
- Analysis of photothermal materials including MXene, black phosphorus (BP), polydopamine/graphene oxide (PDA/GO), and metal-based nanomaterials.
- Examination of studies focusing on temperature control, exposure duration, cell viability, and functional assessments of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) and macrophages.
Main Results:
- Mild PTT within a specific temperature window (40-42 °C) with controlled exposure (5-15 min) preserves cell viability (>85%) and osteogenic differentiation capacity.
- Functional assessments confirm maintained macrophage plasticity after mild PTT.
- Various photothermal materials demonstrate potential for effective bone regeneration applications.
Conclusions:
- Precise temperature and duration control are critical for successful mild PTT in bone repair, avoiding apoptosis and necrosis.
- Photothermal therapy shows potential for immune modulation and sequential repair strategies.
- Further research into smart materials and therapeutic strategies is needed to advance bone regeneration.
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