Learning from Nature How to Design New Implantable Biomaterialsis: From Biomineralization Fundamentals to Biomimetic Materials and Processing Routes : Proceedings of the NATO Advanced Study Institute, held in Alvor, Algarve, Portugal, 13-24 October 2003

The development of materials for any replacement or regeneration application should be based on the thorough understanding of the structure to be substituted. This is true in many fields, but particularly exigent in substitution and regeneration medicine. The demands upon the material properties largely depend on the site of application and the function it has to restore. Ideally, a replacement material should mimic the living tissue from a mechanical, chemical, biological and functional point of view. Of course this is much easier to write down than to implement in clinical practice. Mineralized tissues such as bones, tooth and shells have attracted, in the last few years, considerable interest as natural anisotropic composite structures with adequate mechanical properties. In fact, Nature is and will continue to be the best materials scientist ever. Who better than nature can design complex structures and control the intricate phenomena (processing routes) that lead to the final shape and structure (from the macro to the nano level) of living creatures? Who can combine biological and physico-chemical mechanisms in such a way that can build ideal structure-properties relationships? Who, else than Nature, can really design smart structural components that respond in-situ to exterior stimulus, being able of adapting constantly their microstructure and correspondent properties? In the described philosophy line, mineralized tissues and biomineralization processes are ideal examples to learn-from for the materials scientist of the future.

The biomineralization and biomaterials research communities have not been working side by side in the past few years. To our knowledge, no book has addressed before this topic in such an integrated and "looking forward" perspective. There is, therefore, a necessity for a book that would address, in an integrated way, topics that go from understanding biomineralization processes of different mineralized tissues (that means: not only bone, tooth, etc.) to the use of that science to engineer new biomimetic processes and materials. In fact, only an understanding of the relevant fundamentals and a simultaneous application oriented view will lead to the design of new biomimetic materials and processing routes (including production of biomimetic coatings). There is almost no training content on most of the books that are aimed at presenting new breakthroughs on biomineralization science. So, this book will constitute a complimentary tool as it seemed to be the best forum to educate and brainstorming on this area of such strategic importance.

Structure-Mechanical Function Relations in Bones and Teeth....Pages 3-13 Hierarchical Structure and Mechanical Adaptation of Biological Materials....Pages 15-34 Calcium Phosphate Biomaterials: An Overview....Pages 37-57 Nanostructural Control of Implantable Xerogels for the Controlled Release of Biomolecules....Pages 59-74 Surface Analysis of Biomaterials and Biomineralization....Pages 75-85 Biomimetics and Bioceramics....Pages 89-103 New Biomimetic Coating Technologies and Incorporation of Bioactive Agents and Proteins....Pages 105-121 Learning from Nature How to Design Biomimetic Calcium-Phosphate Coatings....Pages 123-150 Learning from Marine Creatures How to Design Micro-Lenses....Pages 151-166 Inkjet Printing for Biomimetic and Biomedical Materials....Pages 169-180 Stem Cells and Bioactive Materials....Pages 181-198 Embryonic Stem Cells for the Engineering and Regeneration of Mineralized Tissues....Pages 199-204 Tissue Engineering of Mineralized Tissues: The Essential Elements....Pages 205-222 An understanding of the relationships between structure and function in biological materials is fascinating, and may well lead to basic insights into the manner in which they function.