Layered double hydroxide applications in biomedical implants

Abstract

Biomedical implants are powerful tools for replacing, repairing, and reconstructing damaged tissues and organs. A wide range of materials are used for these devices, and the application of nanotechnology has allowed remarkable achievements in regenerative medicine. Layered double hydroxides (LDH) incorporation to these materials is increasingly studied due to their 2D morphology, biocompatibility, drug storage and release capability as well as cell adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation capacity. Nevertheless, due to its incipient development, there is still no systematic and comprehensive description of the state of the art. Here we provide an overview of the materials, preparation methods, properties, and applications of LDH-based biomedical implants. The customization capacity of LDH and their inherent properties, such as biocompatibility, morphology, anion exchange and cell internalization capacity allow their use in a wide range of applications. Nevertheless, a careful selection of the materials with which they combine and the strategy to produce this combination is essential to produce an optimization of the obtained functionality. The potential of LDH as components of biomedical implants is great, but systematic research is still necessary, especially in their interaction with cells and tissues, to transform this potential in real applications.