BIOMATERIALS

A biomaterial is any material, natural or man-made, that is made compatible with living tissues and performs, aids, or replaces a natural function and is used and adapted for a medical application. Biomaterials may have a benign function, such as being used for a heart valve, or may be bioactive with a more interactive functionality such as scaffolds for cell delivery and engraftment and a delivery vehicle for controlled delivery of biotherapeutics... The definition of a biomaterial does not just include man-made materials which are constructed of metals or ceramics. A biomaterial may also be an autograft, allograft, or xenograft used as a transplant material. Biomaterials must be compatible with the body, and there are often issues of biocompatibility that must be resolved before a product can be placed on the market and used in a clinical setting.

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