The field of bone health, disease, and regeneration has seen significant advancements with the exploration of stem cells and extracellular vesicles. Given the success of Research Topic Stem Cells and Extracellular Vesicles in Bone Health, Disease and Regeneration, we are pleased to launch the second volume.
Bone, as a principal structural and endocrine organ, undergoes continuous remodeling and possesses a remarkable capacity for self-repair. However, this capacity can be compromised by trauma, degenerative, or inflammatory events, leading to conditions such as unhealed fractures and osteoporosis. Over the past decade, research has increasingly focused on stem cells as pivotal contributors to skeletogenesis and postnatal bone homeostasis, with their dysfunction linked to various bone diseases. The transition from culture-defined mesenchymal stem cells to in situ skeletal stem cells has spurred investigations into their origin, identity, and regulatory mechanisms. Additionally, the bone microenvironment, where stem cells interact with vascular, immune, and neural components, is mediated by paracrine mechanisms involving extracellular vesicles, which are being studied for their role in bone health and disease. Despite progress in understanding these interactions, there remains a need for comprehensive dissection of the intercellular communication network facilitated by extracellular vesicles, as well as the development of regenerative therapeutics targeting these components.
This Research Topic aims to collect studies on stem cells and extracellular vesicles that can add new knowledge to current understandings of bone development, health maintenance, disease progression, and regenerative repair. The objective is to explore the roles and functions of these biological entities in bone health, identify new stem cell populations, and unravel the mechanisms of extracellular vesicle-mediated intercellular communication. By leveraging recent advances in technologies such as single-cell sequencing, multi-omics, and tissue engineering, the research seeks to provide mechanistic insights and therapeutic strategies for bone diseases.
To gather further insights in the dynamic interplay between stem cells, extracellular vesicles, and bone health, we welcome Original Research, Reviews, Commentary articles, and Perspectives and other acceptable types of article addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
- Revealing the roles and function of stem cells and/or extracellular vesicles in bone development and health.
- Identifying new stem cell populations or analyze transcriptomic, epigenomic, proteomic, and metabolomic profiles of stem cells in bone.
- Unraveling extracellular vesicle-mediated intercellular crosstalk in regulating the bone remodeling process.
- Discussing mutual regulation of stem cells with the bone microenvironment, such as vascular, immune, and neural components, with or without extracellular vesicle communications.
- Offering mechanistic insights into alterations of stem cells and extracellular vesicles in bone aging and disease.
- Addressing the therapeutic needs of bone disease based on the use or regulation of stem cells and/or extracellular vesicles.
- Providing bone tissue engineering and regeneration materials, techniques, strategies, and outcomes by incorporating stem cells and/or extracellular vesicles.
- Clinical studies where stem cells and/or extracellular vesicles are involved in the diagnosis or treatment of bone disorders.
Keywords: Stem cells, Extracellular vesicles, Skeletogenesis, Osteoporosis, Bone Regeneration
Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
