Have you ever wondered where diamonds are used besides jewellery? Diamonds have been used in the medical field for a long time, and an increasing amount of research is being conducted to explore their potential uses in health care. They are considered not only for application but also for medical instruments, imaging, prostheses and medicine delivery. Diamonds offer medical diagnosis and treatment advancements due to their distinct mechanical, chemical, optical, and biological characteristics. Recent studies have shown diamonds being used in medical applications like drug delivery, microelectromechanical devices, and cardiovascular devices.
Medical devices based on diamonds
Many medical devices like joint prostheses, heart valves and microelectromechanical systems have been coated in diamonds. The reason for this is to extend the implant’s lifetime and durability. Prostheses, instruments, and implants benefit from enhanced protection against wear and increased wear resistance thanks to the diamond coating they receive.
Diamond bone repair
Bone was among the initial target tissues explored for diamond implantation. Researchers found that coating titanium alloys with diamond films increased erosion resistance while providing excellent biocompatibility. This biocompatibility of diamonds was confirmed when bone marrow cells grown on diamonds showed enhanced characteristics. Enhanced viability, proliferation, alkaline phosphatase activity (an enzyme that helps speed up chemical reactions in the body), and extracellular matrix mineralisation (network consisting of minerals, such as collagen, enzymes etc.) showed that diamond was superior to other materials.
Diamond-related materials
One material related to diamonds that is important to mention is Nanodiamond particles. They are also called ‘detonation nanodiamonds’, and are crystals of diamond that range in size from a few
100 nm down to 3 nm. Usually, they are in the form of a powder or a liquid dosage. Nanodiamond particles help administer drugs and are also used in regenerative medicine. Another usage of these particles is that they help with electrostatic adhesion, which can then be used for cell growth and other applications. This approach has the advantage of being cost-effective and flexible to meet different medical needs.
Diamond as a cell culture substrate
Cell culture substrates are surfaces on which cells grow or are attached. Studies show that a diamond implant causes a reduced immune response compared to other materials. In an experiment, dental implants showed outstanding osseointegration (the connection between living bone and the implant) without any signs of inflammation. Diamond performed superior to silicon and platinum when cell numbers, cell areas, and cell spreading were quantified.
In direct comparison experiments, results show that fibroblasts (a type of biological cell) exhibited significantly better attachment and multiplication on diamond surfaces than on quartz surfaces. Another example is that human epithelial cells adhered better to diamond than glass, and neural stem cells proliferated and differentiated better on diamond.
Diamonds have opened the door for a range of biomedical applications. The ability to control material characteristics, such as electrical conductivity (through boron and nitrogen doping), surface termination, and crystal size is most advantageous in medicine. Also important is the ability to micro-pattern the diamond in various methods into biologically significant structures. After decades of research, diamonds have been established as the most biocompatible substance. The potential uses for diamonds in medicine are large. For example, diamonds are used in blood vessel stents, microprobes, artificial joint components and coatings for devices that facilitate bone growth or repair. It doesn’t only lower the cost of implants and applications but also the effectiveness and durability.
There is still a danger to diamonds in medicine as research still has to be conducted to further advance the use of diamonds in the medical field. Doctors will need an understanding of the fundamental connection between diamonds and cells. The potential of diamonds in the medical field remains uncertain, but biologists, medical researchers, and practitioners are expected to gain more exposure and familiarity with diamonds in the future.
