With the aging populations, the incidence of bone loss caused by osteoporosis, tumors, trauma, and other factors rises. The repair and regeneration treatment of bone defects faces enormous challenges. At present, the conventional treatment of bone defects is autologous bone grafting, but there are some drawbacks such as limited source and secondary trauma.

The emergence of bone tissue engineering has opened up new opportunities for bone defect repair. Bone tissue engineering includes three key elements: seed cells, scaffold materials, and inducing factors. Stem cells have emerged as ideal seed cells for bone tissue engineering due to their easy isolation, easy cultivation, fast proliferation, and strong osteogenic differentiation ability. However, the molecular mechanism of osteogenic differentiation by stem cells is complex, and scaffold materials still need to be improved. There is still a considerable barrier to large-scale clinical application. It is crucial to elucidate the molecular signaling pathways involved in the osteogenic differentiation of stem cells, explore suitable scaffold materials, and screen effective inducers to advance bone defect repair.

Given the close relationship between stem cells and bone formation, we seek to provide a forum for scientists and clinicians to address the most pressing issues. These include the mechanism of the differentiation of stem cells to bone cells, therapy for bone-related disease by targeting stem cells, stem cell transplantation for bone regeneration and repair, and stem cell markers for bone-related disease diagnosis. Furthermore, we also encourage research on stem cell features, such as exosomes, which play vital roles in the causes, development, diagnosis, and treatment of bone-related diseases. The scope and types of stem cells are not limited. Exploring the intrinsic connection between stem cells and bone regeneration will provide novel strategies for bone defect repair and bone-related disease treatment.

This Research Topic focuses on the association between stem cells and bone. The specific themes include:
● Molecular mechanisms underlying the osteogenic differentiation of stem cells
● Pathogenesis of bone-related diseases
● Recent advances in bone tissue engineering
● Stem cell transplantation for bone defect repair
● Therapies for bone-related disease by targeting stem cells
● Future paradigms and opportunities in bone regeneration research

This topic welcomes article types including Original Research, Reviews, Mini Reviews, Case Reports, Perspectives, and Clinical Trials.

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Exploring the Role of Stem Cells in Bone Health and Regeneration