Biocompatible approaches

The realization of the reasons for poor biocompatibility of general alkoxides with biopolymers led to the development of approaches to minimize or eliminate the problem of the detrimental effect of alcohols. This can be done in two ways modification of the sol-gel processing or the silica precursor. This is considered in some detail below. 

The alcohol evaporation under vacuum, the treatment of cells and microcapsules by silica precursor supplied by gas carrier and infiltration of silica nanoparticles, whose are discussed above, are the examples of such modified approaches. There are two original methods whose would be well to consider. 

---

Refreshingly original approach to a topic of central importance in biology and biocompatibility. 

Miniaturized catheter-type ISE sensors, such as the implantable probe shown in Figure 5-20 represent the preferred approach for routine clinical in-vivo monitoring of blood electrolytes. For these intravascular measurements the reference electrode is placed outside die artery (in die external arm of die catheter), tints obviating biocompatability and drift problems associated with its direct contact with the blood. 

Similarly, after a longer time of incubation, no significant changes in the cell proliferation rate was detected, as can be seen in the data for 72 h (Figure 13). In fact, this was expected due to the biocompatible nature of xylan. As a natural polyssacharide, this type of biomaterial is considered to be highly stable, non-toxic and hydrophilic (Liu et al., 2008). Accordingly, the alkaline extraction of xylan from corn has proved to be a safe approach for obtaining the polymer with no relevant toxicity (Unpublished data). 

It is evident in Figure 3.5 that the two displayed spectra are slightly different in the band intensities and observed spectral features. This approach is thus suitable for analysing the characteristic band structures to enhance the bio-compatibility of the sapphire lenses, and the surface passivation process enabled more optimized biocompatible lenses to be fabricated. 

As indicated above, the development of bio-nanohybrids by mimicking biomineralization represents an extraordinarily useful approach. This is, for instance, the case for those bio-nanocomposites based on bone biomimetic approaches, which show excellent structural properties and biocompatibility. They are prepared by... 

The approach by Brennan with collaborators led to notable improvement in the biocompatibility of sol-gel processing. However, there are some disadvantages. Their approach does not exclude the hydrolytic separation of alcohol. Its presence is detrimental for sensitive biopolymers. Furthermore, the two-stage synthesis is accompanied by the significant shrinkage of sol-gel derived nanocomposites. This leads to a decrease in the pore size that sometimes can restrict the accessibility of enzymes to substrates. 

Song, J., Saiz, E. and Bertozzi, C.R. (2003) A new approach to mineralization of biocompatible hydrogel scaffolds an efficient process toward 3-dimensional bonelike composites. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 125, 1236-1243. 

In order to improve the biocompatibility of ISEs and reduce adsorption of cells and polypeptides several approaches have been used. Among them are immobilization of... 

Silica-based materials obtained by the sol-gel process are perhaps the most promising class of functional materials capable to meet such a grand objective. In the sol-gel process liquid precursors such as silicon alkoxides are mixed and transformed into silica via hydrolytic polycondensation at room temperature. Called soft chemitry or chimie douce, this approach to the synthesis of glasses at room temperature and pressure and in biocompatible conditions (water, neutral pH) has been pioneered by Livage and Rouxel in the 1970s, and further developed by Sanchez, Avnir, Brinker and Ozin. 

---