Cell-based bioactive materials for osteoarthritis therapy: a comprehensive review

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Regenerative Medicine
• Osteoarthritis Therapeutics

Background:

• Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease with significant health and economic impacts.
• Conventional OA treatments have limitations, including potential harm to healthy tissues and complications.
• Synthetic biomaterials show promise but face challenges like poor cartilage penetration and biocompatibility issues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the abnormalities in osteoarthritis (OA) joint microenvironments.
• To outline the design principles for cell-based biomaterials targeting OA.
• To summarize recent advances and applications of cell-based biomaterials in OA treatment.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of OA biophysical, cellular, and biochemical abnormalities.
• Description of design strategies for cell-based biomaterials.
• Review of current literature on cell-based biomaterial applications in OA.

Main Results:

• Cell-based biomaterials utilize intrinsic cell properties (e.g., chemotaxis, homing) for targeted OA therapy.
• These materials are designed to address specific OA microenvironmental abnormalities.
• Various cell-based biomaterial strategies show potential for OA treatment.

Conclusions:

• Cell-based biomaterials offer enhanced effectiveness and biocompatibility compared to synthetic alternatives for OA.
• Leveraging cellular properties provides a tailored approach for the joint microenvironment.
• Further research is needed to address challenges and realize the full clinical potential of cell-based biomaterials in OA.