Heterogeneous Nucleation on The Eggshell Membrane: Sustainable Development of Biomaterials for Bone Regeneration

Abstract

The eggshell membrane serves as a natural template for the heterogeneous nucleation of calcium carbonate in the form of calcite. This results in forming the complex biomineral that makes up the eggshell1. Our research team tested the ability of this biopolymeric material to nucleate calcium phosphates, a different type of mineral which this template is naturally designed for. Calcium phosphates constitute the main mineral content of human mineralized tissues, such as bone and teeth2. These minerals, mainly apatite, are of particular interest in biomaterial synthesis3. With controlled crystallization techniques, such as vapor diffusion crystallization4, the eggshell membrane can be used successfully as a template to create hybrid materials composed of organic-inorganic interfaces that resemble human mineralized tissues5. During the presentation, we will present the results of our experimental observations of the controlled crystallization of calcium phosphate phases on the eggshell membrane, state-of-the-art, and future perspectives for biomaterial development.