Artificial organs: recent progress in metals and ceramics.

The superior properties and novel functions of biomaterials, including metals and ceramics commonly used as implants and medical devices, have been the focus of a number of recent papers. New functions have been explored in metastable beta-Ti alloys, Ni-free Co-Cr-Mo alloys, Mg alloys, and other materials. In addition, porous metals and ceramics with sophisticated structures have been studied as scaffolds for regenerative medicine. In this review, recent advances in bioceramics, metallic biomaterials, and their composites are discussed in terms of their material properties and morphology.