Biomaterials

Biography

Biography: Maria Tomoaia-Cotisel

Abstract

Innovative nano sized hydroxyapatite: HAP, modified HAP with Si, Mg and Zn: HAP-Si- Mg-Zn, and functional scaffolds of these materials with collagen:COL represent the first report on the effects of Si, Mg and Zn, simultaneously present within the layered ceramic scaffolds in human osteoblasts culture. The 14 scaffolds were manufactured by self-assembling layer by layer technique and fully characterized by XRD, FTIR, FT-Raman, TEM, SEM, and AFM. Scaffolds were tested in cell culture for adhesion and bioactivity of osteoblasts, which were cultivated for different times on scaffolds. For this goal, the cellular expression of osteoblasts markers: like collagen, osteopontin and osteocalcin were visualized by fluorescence microscopy and by using immuno-cytochemical staining methods. The data indicate that the combined scaffolds made of nanoHAP/COL, nanoHAP-Si/COL and nanoHAP-Si-Mg-Zn/COL layers have an improved stimulating activity to osteoblasts compared with native scaffolds (e.g., made only from nanoHAPs), particularly in promoting the formation of mineralized bone matrix. Moreover nanoHAP-Si-Mg-Zn/COL combined layered scaffolds substantially enhanced osteoblasts activity and adhesion, as evidenced by cell expression of collagen, osteopontin and osteocalcin as well as of F-actin stress fibers, in vitro. Thus, the current study clearly demonstrated that the incorporation of Si, Mg and Zn within HAP could be an active, safe and inexpensive tool for new HAPs development with potential clinical applications in orthopedic surgery, bone cancer therapy and nanomedicine.