Abstract
The availability of osteoinductive biomaterials has encouraged new therapies in bone regeneration and has potentially triggered paradigmatic shifts in the development of new implants in orthopedics and dentistry. Among several available synthetic biomaterials, bioceramics have gained attention for their ability to induce mesenchymal cell differentiation and successive bone formation when implanted in the human body. However, there is currently a lack of understanding regarding the fundamental biochemical mechanisms by which these materials can induce bone formation. Phenomenological studies of retrievals have clarified the final effect of bone formation, but have left the chemical interactions at the cell–material interface uncharted. Accordingly, the knowledge of the intrinsic material properties relevant for osteoblastogenesis and osteoinduction remains incomplete. Here, we systematically monitored in vitro the chemistry of mesenchymal cell metabolism and the ionic exchanges during osteoblastogenesis on selected substrates through conventional biological assays as well as via in situ and ex situ spectroscopic techniques. Accordingly, the chemical behavior of different bioceramic substrates during their interactions with mesenchymal cells could be unfolded and compared with that of biomedical titanium alloy. Our goal was to clarify the cascade of chemical equations behind the biological processes that govern osteoblastogenic effects on different biomaterial substrates.
Highlights
It is well established that bioceramics could be bioactive in terms of both osteoblastogenesis and osteoinductivity [1]
The aim of this study is to clarify which off-stoichiometric reactions take place at the biomolecular interface of bioceramics and how they differ between alumina (Al2O3) and silicon nitride (Si3N4) bioceramic substrates, demonstrating how the former stresses the cells in a similar way as titanium alloy, while the latter supports cell metabolism and bone formation
The experiments described challenge the notion that alumina oxide and silicon nitride non-oxide bioceramics remain completely inert in an aqueous environment
Summary
It is well established that bioceramics could be bioactive in terms of both osteoblastogenesis and osteoinductivity [1]. To acquire conclusive evidences that osteoinductive bioceramics can provide a valid alternative to autologous bone and osteogenic growth factors, a complete understanding of the chemical mechanisms behind the interaction between cells and the bioceramic surface is needed. In this context, we notice that, within the field of biomaterials, it is common to classify oxide (e.g., alumina) and non-oxide ceramics (e.g., silicon nitride) as fully bioinert materials while only synthetic apatites and calcium phosphates are considered to be bioactive [1,2,3]. We selected the Ti6Al4V alloy as the most appropriate substrate for comparative purpose
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