Orthopedics Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Orthopedics, including details on chronic injuries, muscoskeletal disorders, surgery, reconstruction.

Nanobiomaterial applications in orthopedics.

Christenson EM, Anseth KS, van den Beucken JJ, Chan CK, Ercan B, Jansen JA, Laurencin CT, Li WJ, Murugan R, Nair LS, Ramakrishna S, Tuan RS, Webster TJ, Mikos AG

Department of Bioengineering-MS142, Rice University, PO Box 1892, Houston, Texas 77251-1892, USA.

Advancements in nanobiotechnology are revolutionizing our capability to understand biological intricacies and resolve biological and medical problems by developing subtle biomimetic techniques. Nanocomposites and nanostructured materials are believed to play a pivotal role in orthopedic research since bone itself is a typical example of a nanocomposite. This article reviews current strategies using nanobiomaterials to improve current orthopedic materials and examines their applications in bone tissue engineering. Preliminary investigations support the potential of nanobiomaterials in orthopedic applications; however, significant advancements are necessary to achieve clinical use. Overall, current trends in nanobiotechnology foreshadow a bright future through the use of nanobiomaterials in the orthopedic domain.

Published 4 December 2006 in J Orthop Res, 25(1): 11-22.
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