Biomaterials can be constructed using only materials sourced from plants and animals in order to alter, replace, or repair human tissue/organs. Use of natural biomaterials were used as early as ancient Egypt, where indigenous people used animal skin as sutures. A more modern example is a hip replacement using ivory material which was first recorded in Germany 1891.
Valuable criteria for viable natural biomaterials:
* Biodegradable
* Biocompatible
* Able to promote cell attachment and growth
* Non-toxic
Examples of natural biomaterials:
* Alginate
* Matrigel
* Fibrin
* Collagen
* Myocardial tissue engineering