Lipid-assisted synthesis of magnesium-loaded hydroxyapatite as a potential bone healing material

Abstract

BackgroundMagnesium-loaded hydroxyapatite (Mg@HAp) is a potential biomaterial for bone healing application but has not been comprehensively synthesized yet. MethodsIn this study, we utilize phosphatidylcholine (PC)-assisted method for synthesizing Mg@HAp with controllable Mg amount from 1.44 to 10.64 wt%. It is proposed that the negatively charged phosphate functional group of PC could act on cations (i.e. Mg2+ or Ca2+), which provides stable nucleation for the formation of Mg@HAp. Significant findingsBy optimizing the synthesis conditions, we successfully prepared a Mg@HAp with a relatively low crystallinity which is similar to human bone structure, as evidenced by XRD measurement. The in vitro test of bone cells (MG-63) shows that the release of Mg2+ ions from Mg@HAp enhances cellular proliferation and differentiation. We believe the synthesized Mg@HAp would be a promising biomaterial in orthopedic applications.