Orthopedic revolution: The emerging role of nanotechnology

Table 1 Related nanomaterials and their functions

Nanomaterials	Functions
HA	Promote the proliferation and differentiation of bone cells and accelerate the process of bone healing
Injectable hydrogel	Promote the repair of cartilage
Nanofiber-based scaffold	Interact with related stem cells to promote the repair of tendons and ligaments
Cerium dioxide	Activate Wnt pathway, promote the differentiation of bone precursor cells and treat osteoarthritis
Selenium nanoparticles	Reduce the expression of inflammatory factors and treat osteoarthritis
Manganese dioxide	Reduce oxidative stress and treat osteoarthritis

HA: Hydroxyapatite.

Table 2 Challenges and opportunities for nanomaterials

Challenges	Opportunities
Biocompatibility: Improper materials may be attacked by the body's immune cells, leading to rejection and inflammation	Research and development of advanced nanomaterials: Nanomaterials provide new treatment ideas for orthopedic medicine and even the entire healthcare industry, and can improve medical standards through research and development of nanomaterials
Cost: Due to the research on nanomaterials being in its initial stages, a significant amount of human, material, and financial resources are required for its investigation	Personalized orthopedic treatment: Orthopedic diseases are becoming increasingly common, and the number of patients is generally on the rise. There is an urgent need to provide personalized treatment based on the condition of each patient in order to achieve the best therapeutic effect
Long-term stability: Currently, most research on nanomaterials is still in the laboratory stage, with few clinical studies and even fewer long-term studies. Therefore, the stability of these materials remains to be further investigated	Combination therapy: As a new treatment method, nano therapy can be combined with other treatment methods to achieve better results
Potential toxicity: Since nanomaterials are not the body's own tissues, it remains to be further studied whether they have adverse toxic or side effects on the human body	Promote multidisciplinary development: The research and application of nanomaterials require the support of multiple disciplines, such as chemistry, biology, and materials science. Therefore, increasing efforts in the research and development of nanomaterials can promote multidisciplinary development