Promising application of magnetic nanoparticles and electromagnetic fields in articular cartilage-related diseases: an overview

Articular cartilage-related diseases are a growing problem worldwide. Although there are several therapeutic options available for these diseases, the repair of damaged articular cartilage remains an intractable issue. Therefore, a strong need exists for new approaches such as offered by tissue engineering. However, this approach is also associated with some drawbacks including poor regeneration of cultured cells. Recently, magnetic nanoparticles and electromagnetic fields (EMFs) have been suggested to influence on different cellular processes such as proliferation and differentiation and thus are able to overcome these drawbacks of tissue engineering. In this article, we review the current knowledge on the definition and characteristics of magnetic nanoparticles and EMFs. We also discuss the beneficial effects of magnetic nanoparticles and EMFs in various in vitro and in vivo studies.