Incorporation of Barium Ions into Biomaterials: Dangerous Liaison or Potential Revolution?

In the present manuscript, a brief overview on barium, its possible utilization, and the aftermath of its behavior in organisms has been presented. As a bivalent cation, barium has the potential to be used in a myriad of biochemical reactions. A number of studies have exhibited both the unwanted outcome barium displayed and the advantages of barium laden compounds, tested in in vitro and in vivo settings. The plethora of prospective manipulations covered the area of hydrogels and calcium phosphates, with an end goal of examining barium’s future in the tissue engineering. However, majority of data revert to the research conducted in the 20th century, without investigating the mechanisms of action using current state-of-the-art technology. Having this in mind, set of questions that are needed for possible future research arose. Can barium be used as a substitute for other biologically relevant divalent cations? Will the incorporation of barium ions hamper the execution of the essential processes in the organism? Most importantly, can the benefits outweigh the harm?