Marine Sponge-Derived Biomaterials and Their Biomedical Applications

Marine sponges (Porifera) present structural materials and morphological characteristics suggesting the fabrication of biomaterials towards tissue engineering and regenerative medicine (TERM) strategies employing a biomimetic approach.The following chapter reflects the most recent advances in applying sponge mimetic biomaterials and composites to innovative biomedical applications, in particular regarding bone tissue engineering. We emphasize the bioactive capability of inorganic compounds of marine sponges´ spicules (biosilica, bio-polyphosphate, calcium carbonate) and of organic constituents of marine sponges’ body (collagen/spongin and chitin) for TERM. The chapter describes the studies on evaluating osteoinductive properties of biosilica and bio-polyphosphate, both natural and enzymatically synthesized, and their potential for bone tissue repair. It further exemplifies investigations on the increasing potential of collagen and chitin for various TERM strategies, covering applications from soft to hard tissues regeneration. The chapter touches upon the use of marine origin biomaterials for bone regeneration applications and the employment of both natural and manufactured scaffolds possessing ultrastructural designs mimicking the three-dimensional interconnected porous architecture characteristic of native bone. It also depicts the fabrication of particles and membranes engineered employing distinct porifera origin materials and their innovative applications. Lastly, the chapter ends by giving an insight into prospective applicability of marine sponges-based biomaterials in biomedical strategies.