Small molecules and their controlled release that induce the osteogenic/chondrogenic commitment of stem cells

Stem cell-based tissue engineering plays a significant role in skeletal system repair and regenerative therapies. However, stem cells must be differentiated into specific mature cells prior to implantation (direct implantation may lead to tumour formation). Natural or chemically synthesised small molecules provide an efficient, accurate, reversible, and cost-effective way to differentiate stem cells compared with bioactive growth factors and gene-related methods. Thus, investigating the influences of small molecules on the differentiation of stem cells is of great significance. Here, we review a series of small molecules that can induce or/and promote the osteogenic/chondrogenic commitment of stem cells. The controlled release of these small molecules from various vehicles for stem cell-based therapies and tissue engineering applications is also discussed. The extensive studies in this field represent significant contributions to stem cell-based tissue engineering research and regenerative medicine.