AccScience Publishing / OR / Online First / DOI: 10.36922/OR025330027
COMMENTARY

Engineering bone organoids: Recent advances and future prospects

Wei Wang1,2 Tehan Zhang2,3 Juehan Wang4 Wenzhao Wang1,2* Haijian Sun2,3*
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1 Department of Orthopaedics, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
2 Shandong University Centre for Orthopaedics, Advanced Medical Research Institute, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
3 Department of Orthopaedics, The Second Hospital of Shandong University, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
4 Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
Received: 14 August 2025 | Revised: 3 September 2025 | Accepted: 5 September 2025 | Published online: 23 September 2025
© 2025 by the Author(s). This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution -Noncommercial 4.0 International License (CC-by the license) ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ )
Abstract

Bone organoids have emerged as powerful three-dimensional (3D) culture systems that recapitulate key aspects of bone physiology and pathology, offering superior translational relevance compared with traditional two-dimensional cultures and animal models. By integrating stem cell-derived lineages with biomimetic matrices that mimic the native extracellular matrix, bone organoids faithfully reproduce cellular heterogeneity, structural organization, and dynamic remodeling. Recent advances in natural and synthetic hydrogels, bioactive signaling, and diverse cell sources—including osteogenic, osteoclastic, hematopoietic, and adipogenic populations—have further enhanced organoid fidelity. Biofabrication strategies, such as scaffold-assisted assembly, 3D bioprinting, and organ-on-a-chip platforms enable spatial control and vascularization, while CRISPR-based gene editing and artificial intelligence-driven optimization offer unprecedented precision and scalability. The development of vascularized, innervated, and multi-system–integrated bone organoids holds great promise for disease modeling, drug screening, and regenerative therapies. This review outlines present strategies, technological advances, and future directions in bone organoid engineering.

Keywords
Bone organoids
Biofabrication strategies
Prospects
Funding
This work was supported by grants from Shandong Postdoctoral Science Foundation (SDCX-ZG-202400008), Shandong University Second Hospital Cultivation Fund (2023YP17), National Natural Science Foundation of China (82402801), Shandong Provincial Education Department Project (2024KJJ078), Young Talent of Lifting engineering for Science and Technology in Shandong (SDAST2025QTA009) and Foundation of National Center for Translational Medicine (Shanghai) SHU Branch (No. SUITM202505).
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.
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Organoid Research, Electronic ISSN: 3082-8503 Published by AccScience Publishing