From Biomineralization to Medicine: a translational step

Seminar

Title: From Biomineralization to Medicine: a translational step

Speaker: Filipe Natalio

Afilliation: Institut für Physiologische Chemie und Pathobiochemie, Universitätsmedizin, der Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Mainz, Germany

Host: José Artur Martinho Simões

Abstract:

During animal evolution biomolecules (e.g., secondary metabolites) and biomaterials (e.g., biominerals) were selected for higher biological efficiency and superior physical properties. Exploitation of inorganic mineral formation within organisms – biomineralization – highlighted the fundamental importance of the role played by organic macromolecules in biologically controlled mineralization. This process can occur inside and/or outside organisms and uses biomolecules to control precise initiation, growth and morphology of biominerals displaying remarkable and unique properties.
While most forms of multicellular life have developed a calcium-based skeleton (hydroxyapatite and calcium carbonate biominerals), a few primordial and simple organisms (sponges and diatoms) form their skeleton using silica (SiO2), leaving remanescent traces of importance of this element in human skeleton development. Consequently, silica is not only an essential nutrient for the natural ecosystem but also for humans and other low vertebrates where its deprivation results in severe skeletal malformations, suggesting that this inorganic component is essential for bone formation.
A special form of biologically controlled mineralization has been extensively studied for biosilification process of diatoms and siliceous sponges. The discovery of biomolecules implicated in the biosilification process (e.g., silicatein, silintaphin, sillafins) have attracted increasing attention due to their potential applications in the field of nanobiotechnology and medicine creating a paradigm shift in biomaterials science and technology. Using Nature as an inspirational source, the medical application of synthetic fabricated biosilica by these biomolecules is highlighted on basis of biosilica-mediated regeneration of bone defects and improvement in implant biointegration.