title: Bacterial cellulose-hydroxyapatite nanocomposites for bone regeneration.
abstract: The aim of this study was to develop and to evaluate the biological properties of bacterial cellulose-hydroxyapatite (BC-HA) nanocomposite membranes for bone regeneration. Nanocomposites were prepared from bacterial cellulose membranes sequentially incubated in solutions of CaCl(2) followed by Na(2)HPO(4). BC-HA membranes were evaluated in noncritical bone defects in rat tibiae at 1, 4, and 16 weeks. Thermogravimetric analyses showed that the amount of the mineral phase was 40%-50% of the total weight. Spectroscopy, electronic microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray analyses, and X-ray diffraction showed formation of HA crystals on BC nanofibres. Low crystallinity HA crystals presented Ca/P a molar ratio of 1.5 (calcium-deficient HA), similar to physiological bone. Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy analysis showed bands assigned to phosphate and carbonate ions. In vivo tests showed no inflammatory reaction after 1 week. After 4 weeks, defects were observed to be completely filled in by new bone tissue. The BC-HA membranes were effective for bone regeneration.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chemistry, University Estadual Paulista-UNESP, CP 355, 14-801-970 Araraquara, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saska
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Barud
authors.forename: A M M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Gaspar
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Marchetto
authors.forename: S J L
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Messaddeq