Abstract
Biomimicry is defined as the design and production of materials, structures, and systems that are modelled on biological entities and processes. Within the medical device sector, biomimicry uses an ecological standard to judge the “rightness” of biomaterial components and devices. After 3.8 billion years of evolution, nature has learned what works, what is appropriate, and what lasts. Biomimicry is a new way of viewing and valuing nature, and it introduces an era based not on what we can extract from the natural world, but on what we can learn from it. Original design manufacturing biomaterial projects that leverage the practice of biomimicry will be discussed. Both natural and synthetic polymer platforms will be reviewed for soft tissue and hard tissue applications. Given the complexity of musculoskeletal tissue structures, the key challenge is identifying the most appropriate materials and forms for recapitulating the native function in a tissue scaffold design. The general field of biomimicry will be reviewed along with specific examples in the regenerative medicine sector.
