Recent Application of Nanomaterials in Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine: Advances, Mechanisms, and Clinical Translation (2024-2026)

Abstract

Nanomaterials have gained prominence across disciplines due to unique size-dependent properties, with nanomedicine emerging as a frontier where conventional therapies are limited. In tissue engineering and regenerative medicine (TERM), donor shortages and immune complications drive demand for engineered alternatives. Nanoparticles (1-100 nm) bridge nanoscale material properties with tissue-scale function through biomimetic architecture, high surface reactivity, and stimulus responsiveness. This review critically evaluates 2024-2026 advances in nanoparticle-enabled TERM, focusing on bone, skeletal muscle, skin, and neural regeneration. We classify inorganic, organic, carbon-based, and composite nanomaterials and analyse their roles in scaffold reinforcement, spatiotemporally controlled delivery, cell tracking, and biophysical regulation. Recent strategies including magnetic nanoparticle-mediated myotube alignment, cell-density tuning for enhanced engraftment, and amino acid-based sequential drug release are highlighted. Despite progress, toxicity, manufacturing reproducibility, and regulatory gaps impede clinical translation. We address scalability and standardized characterization as critical barriers and outline a roadmap for AI-guided nanodesign, standardized safety assessment, and first-in-human TERM trials.