External-Field-Driven Functional Nanomaterials for Interdisciplinary Engineering-Medicine Applications

Abstract

The interdisciplinary integration of medicine and engineering serves as a central technological driver for advancing the regulation of stem cell differentiation toward specific lineages in tissue repair. In contrast to biological and chemical signals, physical signals (light, acoustic, magnetic, mechanical, and electrical) offer superior tunability and spatiotemporal precision. However, macroscopic external physical fields alone are generally ineffective for modulating stem cell fate. Nanostructure-mediated physical signals allow the generation of localized, quantifiable, and dynamically controllable cues that can be specifically recognized by cell surface receptors, ultimately regulating stem cell differentiation through nanoscale extracellular matrix components such as fibrin and polysaccharide fibers. The core mechanisms governing this process include field-induced material polarization, nanostructure-mediated signal amplification, energy conversion effects, and synergistic activation of downstream gene expression. A novel concept-termed “regulation of stem cell fate via nanostructure-mediated physical signals” has emerged as a critical frontier across biomaterials, cell biology, and tissue engineering. Building on recent advances in external-field-responsive functional nanomaterials, this perspective not only synthesizes the mechanisms and effects of diverse nanostructure-mediated physical signals but also inspires further interdisciplinary collaboration in engineering-medicine applications.

Keywords

engineering-medicine applications / external-Field Effects / functional nanomaterials / interdisciplinary research

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2025 The Author(s). SmartMat published by Tianjin University and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.