Biomineral-Based Composite Materials in Regenerative Medicine

Abstract

Regenerative medicine aims to address substantial defects by amplifying the body's natural regenerative abilities and preserving the health of tissues and organs. To achieve these goals, materials that can provide the spatial and biological support for cell proliferation and differentiation, as well as the micro-environment essential for the intended tissue, are needed. Scaffolds such as polymers and metallic materials provide three-dimensional structures for cells to attach to and grow in defects. These materials have limitations in terms of mechanical properties or biocompatibility. In contrast, biominerals are formed by living organisms through biomineralization, which also includes minerals created by replicating this process. Incorporating biominerals into conventional materials allows for enhanced strength, durability, and biocompatibility. Specifically, biominerals can improve the bond between the implant and tissue by mimicking the micro-environment. This enhances cell differentiation and tissue regeneration. Furthermore, biomineral composites have wound healing and antimicrobial properties, which can aid in wound repair. Additionally, biominerals can be engineered as drug carriers, which can efficiently deliver drugs to their intended targets, minimizing side effects and increasing therapeutic efficacy. This article examines the role of biominerals and their composite materials in regenerative medicine applications and discusses their properties, synthesis methods, and potential uses.

Keywords: biomineral; biomineral composites; hard tissue engineering; regenerative medicine.

Figure 1

Biomineralization in living organisms and a scheme of biomineral-based materials that mimic the corresponding biomineralization mechanism. (a) (i). Construction and engineering scheme of mollusk shell layers. The prismatic (outer) and nacreous (inner) regions of the Pacific Red abalone (Haliotis rufescens) shell are presented for visual comparison. Reproduced from Ref. [31] with permission from Copyright © 2024 American Chemical Society. (ii). Possible formation mechanisms of the as-prepared CaCO₃ in the presence of different amino acids. Reproduced from Refs. [32,33] with permission from Copyright © 2024, Springer Science Business Media B.V. (with permission from the Royal Society of Chemistry). (b) (i) Silica synthesis in diatoms. Post-translational modifications to silaffins include phosphorylation (blue circles), methylation (red lines), and polyamination (black stars). (ii) Primary amino acid sequence of the silaffin Sil1 protein. The mature part of the polypeptide is shown in bold, and the R5 peptide is highlighted. (iii) The R5 peptide from C. fusiformis with the native post-translational modifications. Reproduced from Ref. [34] with permission from © 2024 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim. (iv) Self-entrapment of antimicrobial peptide CPP-KR12 in silica matrix through CPP-KR12-mediated silica deposition [35] (CC By 4.0). (c) (i) The formation processes and mechanisms of human hard tissues, including bones and teeth [36] (CC By 4.0) with permission from Copyright © 2024, The Author(s). (ii) Biomineralization-inspired analogs of non-collagenous proteins (NCPs) to construct intrafibrillarly mineralized collagen.

Figure 2

Characteristic triangular graph of biomaterials for regenerative medicine.

Figure 3

Mechanical difference between biogenic and geological minerals. (a,b) Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of the fracture surfaces of (a) geological calcite and (b) biogenic calcite (sea urchin spine, Heterocentrotus mammillatus). (c,d) Fracture surfaces of (c) geological aragonite and (d) biogenic aragonite (Sinanodonta woodiana). (e,f) Nanoindentation hardness of biogenic and geological (e) calcite and (f) aragonite along different crystallographic orientations. Reproduced from Ref. [27] with permission (CC BY 4.0). © 2024 The Authors. Advanced Science published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.

Figure 4

Application field of biominerals and their composite materials in regenerative medicine.

Figure 5

Application of biominerals in bone regeneration field using functionalized structure.

Figure 6

Dental application for alveolar bone regeneration.

Figure 7

Artificial ligament/tendon using biomineral gradient scaffolds.

Figure 8

Biomineral-based composite dressing and hemostatic materials for wound healing.

Figure 9

Biomineral-based mesoporous/mineral-coated ferritin/granule composite particles for DDSs.