Biomaterials are commonly applied in regenerative therapy and tissue engineering in bone.Generally,nanoparticles interact distinctively with bone cells and tissue,depending on their com-position,size,and shape.Therefore,detailed analyses of nanoparticle effects on cellular functions have been performed to select the most suitable candidates for supporting bone regeneration.This review will highlight potential nanoparticle applications in bone.We found that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) display exceptional regenerative potential.The delivery of genetic material with nanoparticulate carriers offers the possibility of overcoming certain disadvantages of standard protein delivery approaches.Moreover,nanoparticles are already clinically applied in cancer treatment.Thus,corresponding efforts could lead to new therapeutic strategies to improve bone regeneration or to treat bone disorders.