A new hydroxyapatite-based biocomposite for bone replacement

Materials in the Na2O-CaO-SiO2-P2O5 System for Medical Applications

Calcium phosphate materials and materials based on silicon dioxide have been actively studied for more than 50 years due to their high biocompatibility and bioactivity. Hydroxyapatite and tricalcium phosphate are the most known among calcium phosphate materials, and Bioglass 45S5 is the most known material in the Na2O-CaO-SiO2-P2O5 system. Each of these materials has its application limits; however, some of them can be eliminated by obtaining composites based on calcium phosphate and bioglass. In this article, we provide an overview of the role of silicon and its compounds, including Bioglass 45S5, consider calcium phosphate materials, talk about the limits of each material, demonstrate the potential of the composites based on them, and show the other ways of obtaining composite ceramics in the Na2O-CaO-SiO2-P2O5 system.

Polycaprolactone/chlorinated bioglass scaffolds doped with Mg and Li ions: Morphological, physicochemical, and biological analysis

The objective was to synthesize and characterize fine polycaprolactone (PCL) fibers associated with a new 58S bioglass obtained by the precipitated sol-gel route, produced by the electrospinning process in order to incorporate therapeutic ions (Mg and Li). In PCL/acetone solutions were added 7% pure bioglass, bioglass doped with Mg(NO₃ )₂ and Li₂ CO₃ and were subjected to electrospinning process. The fibers obtained were characterized morphologically, chemically and biologically. The results showed the presence of fine fibers at the nanometric scale and with diameters ranging from 0.67 to 1.92 μm among groups. Groups containing bioglass showed particles both inside and on the surface of the fibers. The components of the polymer, bioglass and therapeutic ions were present in the fibers produced. The produced fibers showed cell viability and induced the formation of mineralization nodules. It was observed the applicability of that methodology in making an improved biomaterial, which adds the osteoinductive properties of the bioglass to PCL and to those of therapeutic ions, applicable to guided bone regeneration.

Influence of Surface Roughness on Biodegradability and Cytocompatibility of High-Purity Magnesium

High-purity magnesium (Mg) is a promising biodegradable metal for oral and maxillofacial implants. Appropriate surface roughness plays a critical role in the degradation behavior and the related cellular processes of biodegradable Mg-based metals. Nevertheless, the most optimized surface roughness has been questionable, especially for Mg-based oral and maxillofacial implants. Three representative scales of surface roughness were investigated in this study, including smooth (Sa < 0.5 µm), moderately rough (Sa between 1.0−2.0 µm), and rough (Sa > 2.0 µm). The results indicated that the degradation rate of the Mg specimen in the cell culture medium was significantly accelerated with increased surface roughness. Furthermore, an extract test revealed that Mg with different roughness did not induce an evident cytotoxic effect. Nonetheless, the smooth Mg surface had an adversely affected cell attachment. Therefore, the high-purity Mg with a moderately rough surface exhibited the most optimized balance between biodegradability and overall cytocompatibility.

A review on bovine hydroxyapatite; extraction and characterization

High rate of bone grafting surgeries emphasizes the need for optimal bone substitutes. Biomaterials mimicking the interconnected porous structure of the original bone with osteoconductive and osteoinductive capabilities have long been considered. Hydroxyapatite (HA), as the main inorganic part of natural bone, has exhibited excellent regenerative properties in bone tissue engineering. This manuscript reviews the HA extraction methods from bovine bone, as one of the principal biosources. Essential points in the extraction process have also been highlighted. Characterization of the produced HA through gold standard methods such as XRD, FTIR, electron microscopies (SEM and TEM), mechanical/thermodynamic tests, and bioactivity analysis has been explained in detail. Finally, future perspectives for development of HA constructs are mentioned.

A Review on Biphasic Calcium Phosphate Materials Derived from Fish Discards

This review summarizes the results reported on the production of biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) materials derived from fish wastes (i.e., heads, bones, skins, and viscera), known as fish discards, and offers an in-depth discussion on their promising potential for various applications in many fields, especially the biomedical one. Thus, considerable scientific and technological efforts were recently focused on the capability of these sustainable materials to be transformed into economically attractive and highly valuable by-products. As a consequence of using these wastes, plenty of beneficial social effects, with both economic and environmental impact, will arise. In the biomedical field, there is a strong and continuous interest for the development of innovative solutions for healthcare improvement using alternative materials of biogenic origin. Thus, the orthopedic field has witnessed a significant development due to an increased demand for a large variety of implants, grafts, and/or scaffolds. This is mainly due to the increase of life expectancy and higher frequency of bone-associated injuries and diseases. As a consequence, the domain of bone-tissue engineering has expanded to be able to address a plethora of bone-related traumas and to deliver a viable and efficient substitute to allografts or autografts by combining bioactive materials and cells for bone-tissue ingrowth. Among biomaterials, calcium phosphate (CaP)-based bio-ceramics are widely used in medicine, in particular in orthopedics and dentistry, due to their excellent bioactive, osteoconductive, and osteointegrative characteristics. Recently, BCP materials (synthetic or natural), a class of CaP, which consist of a mixture of two phases, hydroxyapatite (HA) and beta tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP), in different concentrations, gained increased attention due to their superior overall performances as compared to single-phase formulations. Moreover, the exploitation of BCP materials from by-products of fish industry was reported to be a safe, cheap, and simple procedure. In the dedicated literature, there are many reviews on synthetic HA, β-TCP, or BCP materials, but to the best of our knowledge, this is the first collection of results on the effects of processing conditions on the morphological, compositional, structural, mechanical, and biological properties of the fish discard-derived BCPs along with the tailoring of their features for various applications.

Characterization of Marine Organism Extracellular Matrix-Anchored Extracellular Vesicles and Their Biological Effect on the Alleviation of Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines

Representative marine materials such as biopolymers and bioceramics contain bioactive properties and are applied in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. The marine organism-derived extracellular matrix (ECM), which consists of structural and functional molecules, has been studied as a biomaterial. It has been used to reconstruct tissues and improve biological functions. However, research on marine-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) among marine functional materials is limited. Recent studies on marine-derived EVs were limited to eco-system studies using bacteria-released EVs. We aimed to expand the range of representative marine organisms such as fish, crustaceans, and echinoderms; establish the extraction process; and study the bioactivity capability of marine EVs. Results confirmed that marine organism ECM-anchored EVs (mEVs) have a similar morphology and cargos to those of EVs in land animals. To investigate physiological effects, lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-infected macrophages were treated with EVs derived from sea cucumber, fish, and shrimp. A comparison of the expression levels of inflammatory cytokine genes revealed that all types of mEVs alleviated pro-inflammatory cytokines, although to different degrees. Among them, the sea cucumber-derived EVs showed the strongest suppression ability. This study showed that research on EVs derived from various types of marine animals can lead to the development of high value-added therapeutics from discarded marine wastes.

Cuttlefish Bone-Derived Biphasic Calcium Phosphate Scaffolds Coated with Sol-Gel Derived Bioactive Glass

The combination of calcium phosphates with bioactive glasses (BG) has received an increased interest in the field of bone tissue engineering. In the present work, biphasic calcium phosphates (BCP) obtained by hydrothermal transformation of cuttlefish bone (CB) were coated with a Sr-, Mg- and Zn-doped sol-gel derived BG. The scaffolds were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The initial CB structure was maintained after hydrothermal transformation (HT) and the scaffold functionalization did not jeopardize the internal structure. The results of the in-vitro bioactivity after immersing the BG coated scaffolds in simulated body fluid (SBF) for 15 days showed the formation of apatite on the surface of the scaffolds. Overall, the functionalized CB derived BCP scaffolds revealed promising properties, but further assessment of the in-vitro biological properties is needed before being considered for their use in bone tissue engineering applications.

Biocomposites based on hydroxyapatite matrix reinforced with nanostructured monticellite (CaMgSiO4) for biomedical application: Synthesis, characterization, and biological studies

In this study, a simple and facile strategy was developed for the synthesis of novel hydroxyapatite (HA)/nanostructured monticellite ceramic composites by mechanical method. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) were used to peruse the phase structure, and morphology of soaked ceramic composites in simulated body fluid (SBF). The in vitro bioactivity of HA-based ceramic composites with nanostructured monticellite ranging from 0 to 50 wt% was evaluated via investigating the formation ability of bone-like calcium phosphates in SBF and the effect of obtained extracts from composites dissolution on osteoblast-like G-292 cell line. Moreover, In vitro cytocompatibility of the HA/monticellite ceramic composites was investigated by MTT, cell growth & adhesion and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity assays, and quantitative real-time PCR analysis. The results showed that HA/nanostructured monticellite ceramic composites could induce apatite formation in SBF. The cell proliferation and growth exposed to ceramic composites extracts were significantly stimulated and promoted at a certain concentration range compared to control for various time periods of cell culture. The optimized composite extract enhanced considerably gene expression of G-292 type X collagen (COLX) at different days. Also, G-292 cells were spread and adhered well on the ceramic composite disc. Furthermore, ALP activity of G-292 cells exposed to ceramic composites extracts was dramatically enhanced in comparison with pure HA extract (as control) at different concentrations for various time periods of cell culture. The results suggest that the optimized HA/nanostructured monticellite composite is promising biomaterial for clinical applications such as orthopedic and dentistry.

Biological Properties of Calcium Phosphate Bioactive Glass Composite Bone Substitutes: Current Experimental Evidence

Standard treatment for bone defects is the biological reconstruction using autologous bone—a therapeutical approach that suffers from limitations such as the restricted amount of bone available for harvesting and the necessity for an additional intervention that is potentially followed by donor-site complications. Therefore, synthetic bone substitutes have been developed in order to reduce or even replace the usage of autologous bone as grafting material. This structured review focuses on the question whether calcium phosphates (CaPs) and bioactive glasses (BGs), both established bone substitute materials, show improved properties when combined in CaP/BG composites. It therefore summarizes the most recent experimental data in order to provide a better understanding of the biological properties in general and the osteogenic properties in particular of CaP/BG composite bone substitute materials. As a result, BGs seem to be beneficial for the osteogenic differentiation of precursor cell populations in-vitro when added to CaPs. Furthermore, the presence of BG supports integration of CaP/BG composites into bone in-vivo and enhances bone formation under certain circumstances.

The Influence of Copolymer Composition on PLGA/nHA Scaffolds' Cytotoxicity and In Vitro Degradation

The influence of copolymer composition on Poly(Lactide-co-Glycolide)/nanohydroxyapatite (PLGA/nHA) composite scaffolds is studied in the context of bone tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. The composite scaffolds are fabricated by thermally-induced phase separation and the effect of bioactive nanoparticles on their in vitro degradation in phosphate-buffered solution at 37 °C is analyzed over eight weeks. The indirect cytotoxicity evaluation of the samples followed an adaptation of the ISO 10993-5 standard test method. Based on the measurement of their molecular weight, molar mass, pH, water absorption and dimensions, the porous scaffolds of PLGA with a lower lactide/glycolide (LA/GA) molar ratio degraded faster due to their higher hydrophilicity. All of the samples without and with HA are not cytotoxic, demonstrating their potential for tissue engineering applications.

Effective role of CaO/P2O5 ratio on SiO2-CaO-P2O5 glass system

In the present work, the effect of the CaO/P2O5 ratio on the composition of sol-gel synthesized 58SiO2-(19 - x)P2O5-(23 + x)CaO (x = 0, 5, 10 and 15 mol%) glass samples was studied. Further, the effect of NBO/BO ratio on hydroxy carbonated apatite layer (HCA) forming ability based on dissolution behavior in simulated body fluid (SBF) solution was also investigated. CaO/P2O5 ratios of synthesized glass samples were 1.2, 2, 3.6, and 9.5, respectively. NBO/BO ratios were obtained using Raman spectroscopic analysis as 0.58, 1.20, 1.46, and 1.78, respectively. All samples were soaked in the SBF solution for 7 days. The calculated weight losses of these samples were 58%, 64%, 83%, and 89% for corresponding NBO/BO ratios. The increase in CaO/P2O5 ratio increases the NBO/BO ratios. However, the increase in NBO/BO ratio increases HCA forming ability of SBF treated samples. The HCA crystalline layer formation was confirmed through X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Raman and Infrared spectroscopic analysis. Higher CaO/P2O5 ratio favors the increase in HCA formation for SBF treated calcium phospho silicate glasses.

Study on the Mechanical Properties of Three-Dimensional Directly Binding Hydroxyapatite Powder

In the three-dimensional directly fabricating hydroxyapatite composite artificial bone scaffold process, the liquid bio-binder is sprayed on the surface of bioceramics powder layer. The spraying volume and the powder size directly influence the mechanical properties of the bone scaffold and the future biodegradation performance. When the size of powder is stable, the amount of binder spraying will directly affect the mechanical strength of bone scaffold. In order to figure out the solidification mechanism of α-n-butyl cyanoacrylate (NBCA) bio-binder on the hydroxyapatite (HA) powder layer, the molecular dynamics simulation method is applied to investigate the binding energy shifts between NBCA on HA crystallographic planes. The mechanical properties can be deduced from this methodology; furthermore, the Knoop identification experiments are used to investigate the effective elastic modules of pure HA system and HA/NBCA composite model. Both the simulation and the experiments results elucidate that HA (110) has the highest binding energy with NBCA as the high planar atom density and the mechanical properties of HA/NBCA mixed system are stronger than the pure HA system on three-dimensional crystallographic; in this sense, the bone scaffolds with different strengths could be fabricated by controlling various NBCA binders liquid doses on the surface of HA powder layers during the 3D printing process.

Fabrication of naturel pumice/hydroxyapatite composite for biomedical engineering

BACKGROUND

We evaluated the Bovine hydroxyapatite (BHA) structure. BHA powder was admixed with 5 and 10 wt% natural pumice (NP). Compression strength, Vickers micro hardness, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction studies were performed on the final NP-BHA composite products. The cells proliferation was investigated by MTT assay and SEM. Furthermore, the antimicrobial activity of NP-BHA samples was interrogated.

RESULTS

Variances in the sintering temperature (for 5 wt% NP composites) between 1000 and 1300 °C, reveal about 700 % increase in the microhardness (~100 and 775 HV, respectively). Composites prepared at 1300 °C demonstrate the greatest compression strength with comparable result for 5 wt% NP content (87 MPa), which are significantly better than those for 10 wt% and those that do not include any NP (below 60 MPa, respectively).

CONCLUSION

The results suggested the optimal parameters for the preparation of NP-BHA composites with increased mechanical properties and biocompatibility. Changes in micro-hardness and compression strength can be tailored by the tuning the NP concentration and sintering temperature. NP-BHA composites have demonstrated a remarkable potential for biomedical engineering applications such as bone graft and implant.

Bioactive hydrogel-nanosilica hybrid materials: a potential injectable scaffold for bone tissue engineering

Novel bioactive organic-inorganic hybrid materials that can serve as injectable hydrogel systems for bone tissue regeneration were obtained. The silica nanoparticles (SiNP) prepared in situ by the Stöber method were dispersed in collagen, collagen-chitosan or chitosan sols, which were then subsequently crosslinked. Laser scanning confocal microscopy studies, in which fluorescent SiNP were applied, and SEM images indicated that the nanosilica particles were distributed in the whole volume of the hydrogel matrix. In vitro studies on fibroblast cell viability indicated that the hybrid materials are biocompatible. The silica nanoparticles dispersed in the biopolymer matrix had a positive effect on cell viability. Studies on the mineralization process under simulated body fluid (SBF) conditions confirmed the bioactivity of prepared materials. SEM images revealed mineral phase formation in the majority of the hybrid materials developed. EDS analysis indicated that these mineral phases are mainly composed of calcium and phosphorus. The XRD studies confirmed that mineral phases formed during SBF incubation of hybrid materials based on collagen are bone-like apatite minerals. The silica nanoparticles added to the hydrogel at the stage of synthesis induced the occurrence of mineralization. This process occurs not only at the surface of the material but in its entire volume, which is important for the preparation of scaffolds for bone tissue engineering. The ability of these materials to undergo in situ gelation under physiological temperature and their bioactivity as well as biocompatibility make them interesting candidates for bioactive injectable systems.

Three-dimensional printing of nanomaterial scaffolds for complex tissue regeneration

Three-dimensional (3D) printing has recently expanded in popularity, and become the cutting edge of tissue engineering research. A growing emphasis from clinicians on patient-specific care, coupled with an increasing knowledge of cellular and biomaterial interaction, has led researchers to explore new methods that enable the greatest possible control over the arrangement of cells and bioactive nanomaterials in defined scaffold geometries. In this light, the cutting edge technology of 3D printing also enables researchers to more effectively compose multi-material and cell-laden scaffolds with less effort. In this review, we explore the current state of 3D printing with a focus on printing of nanomaterials and their effect on various complex tissue regeneration applications.

Bioglass-assisted preparation of network sodium titanate bioceramics

The objective of this work is to prepare new network sodium titanates ceramics (N-STC) via a common method and to evaluate the influence of a bioglass additive and sintering temperature on mechanical properties and biological activity of N-STC.

Composite scaffolds for controlled drug release: role of the polyurethane nanoparticles on the physical properties and cell behaviour

Localised delivery of appropriate biomolecule/drug(s) can be suitable to prevent postoperative infections and inflammation after scaffold implantation in vivo. In this study composite shell scaffolds, based on an internally produced bioactive glass and a commercial hydroxyapatite, were surface coated with a uniform polymeric layer, embedded with thermo-stable polyesterurethane (PU)-based nanoparticles (NPs), containing an anti-inflammatory drug (indomethacin; IDCM). The obtained functionalised scaffolds were subjected to physico-mechanical and biological characterisations. The results indicated that NPs incorporation into the gelatin coating of the composite scaffolds: 1) not changed significantly the micro-architecture of the scaffolds in terms of mean pore diameter and pore size distribution; 2) increased the compressive modulus; and 3) allowed to a sustained IDMC release (65-70% of the loaded-drug) within the first week of incubation in physiological solution. On the other hand, the NPs incorporation did not affect the biocompatibility of composite scaffolds, as evidenced by viability and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity of MG63 human osteoblast-like cells.

Liquid phase sintered ceramic bone scaffolds by combined laser and furnace

Fabrication of mechanically competent bioactive scaffolds is a great challenge in bone tissue engineering. In this paper, β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) scaffolds were successfully fabricated by selective laser sintering combined with furnace sintering. Bioglass 45S5 was introduced in the process as liquid phase in order to improve the mechanical and biological properties. The results showed that sintering of β-TCP with the bioglass revealed some features of liquid phase sintering. The optimum amount of 45S5 was 5 wt %. At this point, the scaffolds were densified without defects. The fracture toughness, compressive strength and stiffness were 1.67 MPam1/2, 21.32 MPa and 264.32 MPa, respectively. Bone like apatite layer was formed and the stimulation for apatite formation was increased with increase in 45S5 content after soaking in simulated body fluid, which indicated that 45S5 could improve the bioactivity. Furthermore, MG-63 cells adhered and spread well, and proliferated with increase in the culture time.

Silk as a biocohesive sacrificial binder in the fabrication of hydroxyapatite load bearing scaffolds

Limitations of current clinical methods for bone repair continue to fuel the demand for a high strength, bioactive bone replacement material. Recent attempts to produce porous scaffolds for bone regeneration have been limited by the intrinsic weakness associated with high porosity materials. In this study, ceramic scaffold fabrication techniques for potential use in load-bearing bone repairs have been developed using naturally derived silk from Bombyx mori. Silk was first employed for ceramic grain consolidation during green body formation, and later as a sacrificial polymer to impart porosity during sintering. These techniques allowed preparation of hydroxyapatite (HA) scaffolds that exhibited a wide range of mechanical and porosity profiles, with some displaying unusually high compressive strength up to 152.4 ± 9.1 MPa. Results showed that the scaffolds exhibited a wide range of compressive strengths and moduli (8.7 ± 2.7 MPa to 152.4 ± 9.1 MPa and 0.3 ± 0.1 GPa to 8.6 ± 0.3 GPa) with total porosities of up to 62.9 ± 2.7% depending on the parameters used for fabrication. Moreover, HA-silk scaffolds could be molded into large, complex shapes, and further machined post-sinter to generate specific three-dimensional geometries. Scaffolds supported bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cell attachment and proliferation, with no signs of cytotoxicity. Therefore, silk-fabricated HA scaffolds show promise for load bearing bone repair and regeneration needs.