Plain-language summary
This review maps a shift in regenerative medicine from simply repairing damage toward actively reprogramming cells and their surroundings. The authors group recent progress into three reinforcing layers. First, nanocarriers - lipid nanoparticles, reactive-oxygen-species-sensitive polymers, hydrogels, and extracellular vesicles - can now deliver therapeutic payloads rapidly and precisely to fibrotic, inflamed, or injured tissue. Second, metabolic reprogramming strategies aim to restore mitochondrial function and redox balance and to adjust key metabolites, temporarily rejuvenating aged or dysfunctional cells so they regain regenerative capacity. Third, immune engineering focuses on macrophages: nanoparticles that guide the transition from the inflammatory M1 state to the reparative M2 state can help resolve chronic inflammation and support repair. The review argues that combining these layers into multifunctional, dynamic systems capable of awakening dormant regenerative pathways is the field's most promising direction, while molecular, epigenetic, inflammatory, and microenvironmental barriers still separate current prototypes from clinical practice.
Key findings
- Nanocarriers including lipid nanoparticles, ROS-responsive polymers, hydrogels, and extracellular vesicles enable precise, responsive delivery of regenerative therapeutics to damaged tissue.
- Metabolic reprogramming that restores mitochondrial function and redox balance can temporarily rejuvenate aged or dysfunctional cells and boost their regenerative capacity.
- Nanoparticle-driven control of the M1-to-M2 macrophage transition helps resolve inflammation and create an environment favourable to tissue repair.
- The review proposes that future therapies will combine these layers into dynamic, multifunctional systems that activate dormant regenerative pathways.
Original abstract
Trends in regenerative medicine are transforming the field by moving beyond simple repair to actively reprogram cellular and tissue environments. This review explores new approaches that integrate nanotechnology, metabolic regulation, and immune engineering to improve the regeneration of tissues that are otherwise difficult to regenerate. Advances in nanocarrier designs, such as lipid nanoparticles, ROS-sensitive polymers, hydrogels, and extracellular vesicles, have enabled the rapid, responsive, and precise delivery of therapeutic agents to targeted areas, including fibrosis, chronic inflammation, and tissue damage. Concurrently, metabolic reprogramming strategies that restore mitochondrial function and redox balance, and modify key metabolites, can temporarily rejuvenate aged or dysfunctional cells and boost their regenerative capacity. Immune modulation, especially the control of macrophage polarisation in space and time, is also vital for regeneration. Nanoparticle-driven regulation of the M1-to-M2 macrophage transition can enhance inflammation resolution and tissue repair. Overall, these advancements mark a move toward multifunctional, dynamic therapeutic systems that not only reduce damage but also direct regenerative processes at the molecular, cellular, and tissue levels. The review highlights the potential of nanomedicines to target dormant regenerative pathways as a promising therapeutic strategy, aiming to overcome barriers including molecular, epigenetic, inflammatory, and microenvironmental challenges to facilitate the body's natural tissue regeneration.
Frequently asked questions
What did this study find?
This review maps a shift in regenerative medicine from simply repairing damage toward actively reprogramming cells and their surroundings. The authors group recent progress into three reinforcing layers. First, nanocarriers - lipid nanoparticles, reactive-oxygen-species-sensitive polymers, hydrogels, and extracellular vesicles - can now deliver therapeutic payloads rapidly and precisely to fibrotic, inflamed, or injured tissue. Second, metabolic reprogramming strategies aim to restore mitochondrial function and redox balance and to adjust key metabolites, temporarily rejuvenating aged or dysfunctional cells so they regain regenerative capacity. Third, immune engineering focuses on macrophages: nanoparticles that guide the transition from the inflammatory M1 state to the reparative M2 state can help resolve chronic inflammation and support repair. The review argues that combining these layers into multifunctional, dynamic systems capable of awakening dormant regenerative pathways is the field's most promising direction, while molecular, epigenetic, inflammatory, and microenvironmental barriers still separate current prototypes from clinical practice.
Was this tested in humans or in the laboratory?
This is a review: it summarises and weighs up previously published studies rather than presenting new experiments.
Where can I read the original paper?
The full text lives with the publisher: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpharm.2026.127491
How to cite this paper
Rawat Tiya, Pathan Nida Irfan, Sengar Devyani, Gajbhiye Virendra. Emerging nanomedicine upshot: Reprogramming cellular dormancy for tissue regeneration.. International journal of pharmaceutics. 2026, 2026-10-01. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2026.127491
Source & verification
- Journal: International journal of pharmaceutics
- Published: 1 October 2026
- DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2026.127491
- PubMed ID: 42822708
- Indexed via: pubmed
- MeSH terms: —