Advancements in Metal Ion-Driven Tissue Repair Materials

  • 374

    Total views and downloads

Participate in this topic

Submit your idea

You will be redirected to our submission process.

Submit your manuscript summarySubmit your manuscript

About this Research Topic

Submission deadlines

  1. Manuscript Summary Submission Deadline 15 September 2025 | Manuscript Submission Deadline 31 January 2026

  2. This Research Topic is still accepting articles.

    1. Check author guidelines

Background

Over the past few decades, rapid progress in both tissue engineering and regenerative medicine has revolutionized approaches to tissue regeneration and reconstruction. This new era of research aims at combining the use of biomaterials with cellular therapy to restore injured/tissue-depleted organs. However, despite this tremendous success, traditional biomaterials face several limitations: poor mechanical properties, unsuitable degradation rates, low bioactivity etc., which prevent them from completely mimicking natural tissue microenvironments.
To address this issue, researchers have begun integrating various bioactive metal ions such as Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Zn²⁺, Si⁴⁺, Cu²⁺, etc., into material designs. Metal ions play important roles in many essential physiological functions that occur throughout our body, ranging from bone formation to vasculature development to immunological function. Incorporation of these ions within scaffold structures, hydrogel networks, or even surface coatings has been shown to induce favorable cellular interactions through enhanced adhesion, proliferation, and growth characteristics; they also possess inherent antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects. In addition, the distinct biological activity induced by each individual ion provides an exciting opportunity to develop patient-specific tissue engineering therapies aimed specifically towards cells residing within certain organs/tissues (e.g.: bone, cartilage, and skin). Despite a series of remarkable advancements, numerous challenges remain. How to precisely control the release of metal ions, ensure their biocompatibility, and adapt to the needs of different tissues requires further investigation. While it may not yet seem possible, continued advances will lead us down a path toward future generations of regenerative medical technologies which successfully integrate both material sciences and clinical practice.

The objective of this project is to develop intelligent, tissue-specific biomaterial platforms that synergize precision-engineered ion delivery systems with comprehensive biological validation, thereby advancing personalized therapies. This includes:
1. Advanced material design: Utilizing 3D printing, nanocomposites, and stimuli-responsive systems to achieve tunable ion release kinetics, addressing unique repair demands across diverse tissues. Such as 3D printed calcium phosphate scaffolds incorporating strontium-doped nanomaterials that release osteogenic ions in synchrony with the remodeling phase and dynamic hydrogel systems that regulate chondrocyte metabolism through spatially controlled ionic gradients.
2. Multifunctional integration: Incorporating antibacterial, anti-inflammatory or pro-angiogenic properties into doped ion systems to address complex clinical situations such as chronic wounds or degenerative diseases.
3. Multiscale mechanistic studies: Investigating ion-mediated cellular signaling (e.g., differentiation, angiogenesis) and tissue remodeling through integrated in vitro, in vivo, and computational models.
4. Safety and efficacy frameworks: Establishing standardized protocols for assessing ion toxicity, optimal dosage long-term biocompatibility across tissues, and determining the optimal doses for different types of tissue.
This research aims to unify material science, bioengineering, and clinical insights, ultimately enabling next-generation therapies that adapt to dynamic healing processes while addressing unmet needs in large tissue defects and degenerative conditions.

The present Research Topic is dedicated to the advancement of metal ion-integrated biomaterials for the purposes of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, with particular emphasis on interdisciplinary innovation. Contributions addressing, but not limited to, the following areas are invited:
1. Design strategies: Novel synthesis methods (e.g., nanocomposites, 3D-printed scaffolds) for controlled metal ion delivery.
2. Mechanistic insights: Roles of ions (Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Zn²⁺, Sr²⁺, etc.) in cellular signaling, differentiation, and tissue remodeling.
3. Functional optimization: Balancing ion release kinetics, mechanical stability, and biodegradability for tissue-specific applications.
4. Multifunctionality: Antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, or angiogenic properties of ion-doped systems.
5. Synergistic Interactions and Safety: How different ions interact, what levels are toxic, and ensuring long-term safety to use over the long haul.
6. Clinical translation: Running preclinical studies to test how well treatments work for regenerating bone, cartilage, skin, or nerve tissues.
We welcome Original Research, Reviews, Methodologies, Perspectives, and Brief Reports that bridge material science, bioengineering, and translational medicine. Submissions integrating computational modeling, advanced characterization (e.g., in situ imaging), or patient-specific approaches are encouraged. High-impact studies addressing unmet clinical needs and scalability will be prioritized.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

  • Brief Research Report
  • Case Report
  • Data Report
  • Editorial
  • General Commentary
  • Hypothesis and Theory
  • Methods
  • Mini Review
  • Opinion

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

  • Brief Research Report
  • Case Report
  • Data Report
  • Editorial
  • General Commentary
  • Hypothesis and Theory
  • Methods
  • Mini Review
  • Opinion
  • Original Research
  • Perspective
  • Review
  • Systematic Review
  • Technology and Code

Keywords: Metal Ion, Materials, Tissue Repair, Regenerative Medicine, Controlled Ion Release

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.

Topic editors

Frequently asked questions

  • Frontiers' Research Topics are collaborative hubs built around an emerging theme.Defined, managed, and led by renowned researchers, they bring communities together around a shared area of interest to stimulate collaboration and innovation.

    Unlike section journals, which serve established specialty communities, Research Topics are pioneer hubs, responding to the evolving scientific landscape and catering to new communities.

  • The goal of Frontiers' publishing program is to empower research communities to actively steer the course of scientific publishing. Our program was implemented as a three-part unit with fixed field journals, flexible specialty sections, and dynamically emerging Research Topics, connecting communities of different sizes and maturity.

    Research Topics originate from the scientific community. Many of our Research Topics are suggested by existing editorial board members who have identified critical challenges or areas of interest in their field.

  • As an editor, Research Topics will help you build your journal, as well as your community, around emerging, cutting-edge research. As research trailblazers, Research Topics attract high-quality submissions from leading experts all over the world.

    A thriving Research Topic can potentially evolve into a new specialty section if there is sustained interest and a growing community around it.

  • Each Research Topic must be approved by the specialty chief editor, and it falls under the editorial oversight of our editorial boards, supported by our in-house research integrity team. The same standards and rigorous peer review processes apply to articles published as part of a Research Topic as for any other article we publish.

    In 2023, 80% of the Research Topics we published were edited or co-edited by our editorial board members, who are already familiar with their journal's scope, ethos, and publishing model. All other topics are guest edited by leaders in their field, each vetted and formally approved by the specialty chief editor.

  • Publishing your article within a Research Topic with other related articles increases its discoverability and visibility, which can lead to more views, downloads, and citations. Research Topics grow dynamically as more published articles are added, causing frequent revisiting, and further visibility.

    As Research Topics are multidisciplinary, they are cross-listed in several fields and section journals – increasing your reach even more and giving you the chance to expand your network and collaborate with researchers in different fields, all focusing on expanding knowledge around the same important topic.

    Our larger Research Topics are also converted into ebooks and receive social media promotion from our digital marketing team.

     

  • Frontiers offers multiple article types, but it will depend on the field and section journals in which the Research Topic will be featured. The available article types for a Research Topic will appear in the drop-down menu during the submission process.

    Check available article types here 

  • Yes, we would love to hear your ideas for a topic. Most of our Research Topics are community-led and suggested by researchers in the field. Our in-house editorial team will contact you to talk about your idea and whether you’d like to edit the topic. If you’re an early-stage researcher, we will offer you the opportunity to coordinate your topic, with the support of a senior researcher as the topic editor. 

    Suggest your topic here 

  • A team of guest editors (called topic editors) lead their Research Topic. This editorial team oversees the entire process, from the initial topic proposal to calls for participation, the peer review, and final publications.

    The team may also include topic coordinators, who help the topic editors send calls for participation, liaise with topic editors on abstracts, and support contributing authors. In some cases, they can also be assigned as reviewers.

  • As a topic editor (TE), you will take the lead on all editorial decisions for the Research Topic, starting with defining its scope. This allows you to curate research around a topic that interests you, bring together different perspectives from leading researchers across different fields and shape the future of your field. 

     

    You will choose your team of co-editors, curate a list of potential authors, send calls for participation and oversee the peer review process, accepting or recommending rejection for each manuscript submitted.

  • As a topic editor, you're supported at every stage by our in-house team. You will be assigned a single point of contact to help you on both editorial and technical matters. Your topic is managed through our user-friendly online platform, and the peer review process is supported by our industry-first AI review assistant (AIRA).

  • If you’re an early-stage researcher, we will offer you the opportunity to coordinate your topic, with the support of a senior researcher as the topic editor. This provides you with valuable editorial experience, improving your ability to critically evaluate research articles and enhancing your understanding of the quality standards and requirements for scientific publishing, as well as the opportunity to discover new research in your field, and expand your professional network.

  • Yes, certificates can be issued on request. We are happy to provide a certificate for your contribution to editing a successful Research Topic.

  • Research Topics thrive on collaboration and their multi-disciplinary approach around emerging, cutting-edge themes, attract leading researchers from all over the world.

  • As a topic editor, you can set the timeline for your Research Topic, and we will work with you at your pace. Typically, Research Topics are online and open for submissions within a few weeks and remain open for participation for 6 – 12 months. Individual articles within a Research Topic are published as soon as they are ready.

    Find out more about our Research Topics

  • Our fee support program ensures that all articles that pass peer review, including those published in Research Topics, can benefit from open access – regardless of the author's field or funding situation.

    Authors and institutions with insufficient funding can apply for a discount on their publishing fees. A fee support application form is available on our website.

  • In line with our mission to promote healthy lives on a healthy planet, we do not provide printed materials. All our articles and ebooks are available under a CC-BY license, so you can share and print copies.

     

Manuscripts can be submitted to this Research Topic via the main journal or any other participating journal.

Submit your idea

You will be redirected to our submission process.

Submit your manuscript summarySubmit your manuscript

Impact

  • 374Topic views
View impact