Physicochemical and biological evaluation of chondroitin sulphate calcium phosphate cements using tetracalcium phosphate nanorod and microparticle powders

Abstract

Tetracalcium phosphate (TTCP) is one of the main powder components in self-setting calcium phosphate cements. In this study, two types of chondroitin sulphate calcium phosphate cements were prepared using nanoscale rod-like (R-TTCP) and conventional irregular shape (C-TTCP) microscale powders. R-TTCP and C-TTCP powders were synthesized by reverse microemulsion chemical process and conventional thermal method, respectively. Adequate analyses and experiments such as XRD, FE-SEM, setting time, porosity, compressive strength, degradation, bioactivity, cytotoxicity, and MG63 cell adhesion were conducted to illustrate physicochemical and resorbable cements specific properties. According to the results, both cements formed hydroxyapatite through the cementation process. The R-TTCP cement revealed a slightly longer initial but no difference in final setting time, less compressive strength, higher porosity and better degradation behaviour compared to C-TTCP one. Taking into consideration the initial porosity, the cement made from R-TTCP powder presented more aptness to participate in ion exchange in SBF resulting to fill the 15% more initial porosity via the precipitation of hydroxyapatite mineral. From the biological point of view, analysis of cytotoxicity and MG63 osteoblastic-cell behaviour proved that both the cements had good viability and proper cell adhesion and activity.