Hierarchical biomaterials structure and properties of protein mineral composites

大自然呈现给我们的材料具有各种各样的物理、化学和生物特性。这些生物材料通过从纳米尺度到宏观尺度的不同长度尺度的结构元素的分层组装来实现其高度专门化的特性。骨是生物材料的一个很好的例子。它结合了“硬”（矿物）和“软”（蛋白质）成分，以产生这种结构材料所需的适当机械性能：即在最大限度地减轻重量的同时承受应力。骨骼还具有重要的代谢和粘附功能，为生物体提供重要的离子，以及细胞和组织生长的生物活性底物。以骨骼为灵感，我们正在创造新的纳米结构混合材料，用于生物活性基质、基质和涂层。这些多组分（蛋白质和矿物质）材料作为模型系统，用于测试骨结构层次中的中间水平的特性。特别是，我们正在研究这类新材料在结合和激活细胞方面的生物活性，在组织生长和生物传感方面具有潜在的应用。通过在小尺度上构建生物材料，我们可以精确地控制单个细胞的环境，从而控制和研究其活性。在创造和使用这些材料的过程中，我们也将有助于更好地了解钙化过程，包括有益的（例如骨骼生长）和有害的（例如纤维材料的矿化可能导致中风）。

Nature presents us with materials showing a remarkable variety of physical, chemical and biological properties. These biomaterials achieve their highly specialized properties through hierarchical assembly involving structural elements at different length scales, from the nanoscale up to the macroscale. Bone is an excellent example of a biomaterial. It combines both "hard" (mineral) and "soft" (proteinaceous) components to produce the appropriate mechanical properties required of this structural material: namely, to withstand stresses while minimizing weight. Bones also serve important metabolic and adhesive functions, providing important ions to the organism as well as a bioactive substrate for cell and tissue growth. Using bone as an inspiration, we are creating new nanostructured, hybrid materials for use as bioactive substrates, matrices and coatings. These multicomponent (protein and mineral) materials serve as model systems with which to test the properties of intermediate levels in the hierarchy of bone structure. In particular, we are investigating the bioactivity of this new class of materials in binding and activating cells, with potential applications in tissue growth and biosensing. By structuring the biomaterials on small length scales, we can precisely control the environment of a single cell to then control and study its activity. In the process of creating and using these materials, we will also contribute to a better understanding of calcification processes, both beneficial (e.g. bone growth) and detrimental (e.g. mineralization of fibrous material which can lead to strokes).