Mineralization in Natural and Synthetic Biomaterials Symposium Held November 29-December 1, 1999, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. A

The field of biomaterials has grown dramatically over the past several years. To date, synthetic materials have been successfully used for skeletal repair. Medical prostheses such as joint replacements, dental implants, and cardiovascular devices have been widely accepted as the effective option of reconstruction for many people. In addition, biomaterials play a key role in the emerging area of tissue engineering, where living cells are cultured on the biomaterial scaffolds to create new biological substances. The generation of minerals is critical to many of these applications. This volume focuses on biomineralization and the application of its principles to improve the performance of medical implants, to prepare new materials and coatings, to solve problems in industry, and to cure diseases. The volume covers all aspects of promotion and prevention of mineral formation in both natural and synthetic biomaterials. Mineralization in bacteria, arthropods, and other organisms are included, as aredeposition of silica, iron oxides and other hard compounds. Topics include: calcium phosphate biomaterials; biomimetic apatite coatings; biomimetic ceramic thin films; generation of CaCO3 in nature; SiO2 in niological systems; mineralization on organic surfaces; and mineral-protein interaction.Li, P. is the author of 'Mineralization in Natural and Synthetic Biomaterials Symposium Held November 29-December 1, 1999, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. A' with ISBN 9781558995079 and ISBN 1558995072.