Natural substances and structures can serve increasingly well as biomedical products, given recent advances in understanding of requirements for biocompatibility and of methods for their preservation and surface tailoring. A successful example is the derivation of limb salvaging vessels, used in arterial reconstructive surgery, from human umbilical cords. There are numerous opportunities for additional product development from the umbilical cords' main ingredient, Wharton's gel, ranging from biolubricants to wound-healing aids. Major problems yet to be overcome with natural starting materials are their propensity for calcification and eventual biodeterioration. Surface modification of biomaterials to exhibit desired degrees of interaction with contacting viable tissues promises the greatest beneficial results. General principles of bioadhesion have broad applicability, predicting material behavior in environments as diverse as blood, saliva, and seawater.