Silica materials for medical applications.
The two main applications of silica-based materials in medicine and biotechnology, i.e. for bone-repairing devices and for drug delivery systems, are presented and discussed. The influence of the structure and chemical composition in the final characteristics and properties of every silica-based material is also shown as a function of the both applications presented. The adequate combination of the synthesis techniques, template systems and additives leads to the development of materials that merge the bioactive behavior with the drug carrier ability. These systems could be excellent candidates as materials for the development of devices for tissue engineering.
Vallet-Regí
María
M
Department of Inorganic and Bioinorganic Chemistry, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM) and Networking Biomedical Engineering Research Center for Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Plz. Ramón y Cajal, s/n., 28040 Madrid, Spain. vallet@farm.ucm.es
Balas
Francisco
F