Nanotechnology in gene therapy for musculoskeletal regeneration

Abstract Nowadays, regeneration of musculoskeletal tissues such as cartilage, bone, muscle, tendon, and ligaments has promoted considerable interest in researches and clinic. Since current therapeutic strategies have limited potential in the regeneration of such tissues, more efficient therapeutic approaches are still demanding. Gene therapy, as an advanced therapy, is a promising strategy for treating musculoskeletal disorders through the delivery of therapeutic nucleic acids into the target cells. In addition, in the light of nanotechnology advancements in biomedical fields, gene therapy has been equipped with nanoengineered constructs supporting much more success of clinical outcomes. Actually, regarding remarkable progress in nanomaterial science, nanoengineered constructs have been utilized as multipurpose gene delivery vehicles. This chapter presents an overview of fundamental and applications of gene therapy approach powered by nanoengineered tools for musculoskeletal tissue regeneration with a brief look at associated challenges and future perspectives.