A Sea Change For Artificial Bones?  Scientists at the U.S.
Energy Dept.'s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory are
developing a type of artificial bone that's inspired by oysters,
abalone, and other hard-shelled ocean dwellers. And they're
using a property of seawater to speed the process.  When
seawater freezes, it forms stacked layers of crystals. The
researchers found they could exploit the same freezing process
to mold ceramic materials into layered structures that mimic the
properties of a substance in the shells called nacre, which
makes them light and strong. The new material is four times
stronger than synthetic bone used today, and less likely to
trigger inflammation of surrounding tissue.  The researchers
hope to come up with a light, durable scaffolding that will
incorporate both natural bone cells and an organic material that
will release growth-stimulating compounds as it degrades. New
bone cells will then gradually fill the pores of the scaffold,
fusing the natural and artificial bone together.