Medical potentialities of biomimetic apatites through adsorption, ionic substitution, and mineral/organic associations: three illustrative examples

Abstract

Biomimetic calcium phosphate apatites are particularly adapted to bio-medical applications due to their biocompatibility and high surface reactivity. In this contribution we report three selected examples dealing with mineral/organic interactions devoted to convey new functionalities to apatite materials, either in the form of dry bioceramics or of aqueous colloids. We first studied the adsorption of risedronate (bisphosphonate) molecules, which present potential therapeutic properties for the treatment of osteoporosis. We then addressed the preparation of luminescent Eu-doped apatites for exploring apatite/collagen interfaces through the FRET technique, in view of preparing "advanced" biocomposites exhibiting close spatial interaction between apatite crystals and collagen fibers. Finally, we showed the possibility to obtain nanometer-scaled apatite-based colloids, with particle size tailorable in the range 30-100 nm by controlling the agglomeration state of apatite nanocrystals by way of surface functionalization with a phospholipid moiety. This paper is aimed at illustrating some of the numerous potentialities of calcium phosphate apatites in the bio-medical field, allowing one to foresee perspectives lying well beyond bone-related applications.