title: In vitro testing of calcium phosphate (HA, TCP, and biphasic HA-TCP) whiskers.
abstract: Calcium phosphate [single-phase hydroxyapatite (HA, Ca(10)(PO(4))(6)(OH)(2)), single-phase tricalcium phosphate (beta-TCP, Ca(3)(PO(4))(2)), and biphasic HA-TCP] whiskers were formed by using a novel microwave-assisted molten salt mediated process. Aqueous solutions containing NaNO(3), HNO(3), Ca(NO(3))(2) x 4H(2)O, and KH(2)PO(4) (with or without urea) were used as starting reagents. These solutions were irradiated in a household microwave oven for 5 min. As-recovered precursors were then simply stirred in water at room temperature for 1 h to obtain the whiskers of the desired calcium phosphate (CaP) bioceramics. These whiskers were evaluated, respectively, in vitro by (1) soaking those in synthetic body fluid (SBF) solutions at 37 degrees C for one week, and (2) performing cell attachment and total protein assay tests on the neat whiskers by using a mouse osteoblast cell line (7F2). beta-TCP, HA, and HA-TCP biphasic whiskers were all found to possess apatite-inducing ability when soaked in SBF. SBF-soaked whiskers were found to have BET surface areas ranging from 45 to 112 m(2)/g. Although the osteoblast viability and protein concentrations were found to be the highest on the neat HA whiskers, cells were attached and proliferated on all the whiskers.
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Clemson University, South Carolina 29634, USA.
authors.forename: Sahil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jalota
authors.forename: Sarit B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Bhaduri
authors.forename: A Cuneyt
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Tas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D002130:Calcium Phosphates; D002460:Cell Line; D017886:Durapatite; D051379:Mice; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D010006:Osteoblasts / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D002130:Calcium Phosphates; D017886:Durapatite; C018392:tricalcium phosphate