title: Resorbable glass-ceramic phosphate-based scaffolds for bone tissue engineering: synthesis, properties, and in vitro effects on human marrow stromal cells.
abstract: Highly porous bioresorbable glass-ceramic scaffolds were prepared via sponge replication method by using an open-cell polyurethane foam as a template and phosphate-based glass powders. The glass, belonging to the P2O5-SiO2-CaO-MgO-Na2O-K2O system, was synthesized by a melting-quenching route, ground, and sieved to obtain powders with a grain size of less than 30 μm. A slurry containing glass powders, polyvinyl alcohol, and water was prepared to coat the polymeric template. The removal of the polymer and the sintering of the glass powders were performed by a thermal treatment, in order to obtain an inorganic replica of the template structure. The structure and properties of the scaffold were investigated from structural, morphological, and mechanical viewpoints by means of X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, density measurements, image analysis, and compressive tests. The scaffolds exhibited a trabecular architecture that closely mimics the structure of a natural spongy bone. The solubility of the porous structures was assessed by soaking the samples in acellular simulated body fluid (SBF) and Tris-HCl for different time frames and then by assessing the scaffold weight loss. As far as the test in SBF is concerned, the nucleation of hydroxyapatite on the scaffold trabeculae demonstrates the bioactivity of the material. Biological tests were carried out using human bone marrow stromal cells to test the osteoconductivity of the material. The cells adhered to the scaffold struts and were metabolically active; it was found that cell differentiation over proliferation occurred. Therefore, the produced scaffolds, being biocompatible, bioactive, resorbable, and structurally similar to a spongy bone, can be proposed as interesting candidates for bone grafting.
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, Torino 10129, Italy. chiara.vitale@polito.it
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vitale-Brovarone
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ciapetti
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Leonardi
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Baldini
authors.forename: Oana
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Bretcanu
authors.forename: Enrica
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Verné
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Baino
mesh_terms: D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D018786:Bone Substitutes / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002470:Cell Survival; D002516:Ceramics / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D019245:Compressive Strength; D006801:Humans; D008422:Materials Testing; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D010012:Osteogenesis; D011140:Polyurethanes; D016062:Porosity; D012995:Solubility; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D023822:Tissue Engineering; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry*; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D018786:Bone Substitutes; D011140:Polyurethanes; C023506:Glass ceramics