Ebook: Characterization of biomaterials

Biomaterials and medical devices must be rigorously tested in the laboratory before they can be implanted in test subjects. Furthermore, by testing devices and materials quickly and efficiently in the laboratory, it is possible to increase the number of materials which may be studied and produce working implants faster. This book discusses the latest methods of characterizing materials in order to define the properties and pitfalls of potential biomaterials. Beginning with an introduction to microscopy techniques for analyzing the phase nature and morphology of biomaterials, chapters go on to discuss scattering techniques for structural analysis, quantitative assays for measuring cell adhesion, motility and differentiation, and the evaluation of cell infiltration and tissue formation using bioreactors. Further topics consider studying molecular-scale protein-surface interactions in biomaterials, analysis of the cellular genome and abnormalities, and the use of microarrays to measure cellular changes induced by biomaterials. Finally, the conclusion outlines standards and methods for assessing the safety and biocompatibility of biomaterials.