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Scaffolds’ production based on calcium aluminate blends and their biological properties

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Abstract

Purpose

Scaffolds are artificial structures that provide a temporary template to withstand mechanical loads in vivo during the process of bone regeneration. They should present a highly porous three-dimensional structure with an interconnected network of pores for the tissue growth and the transport of nutrients and metabolic residues. Additionally, scaffolds must be easily manufactured in different shapes and sizes.

Methods

A 4 wt% of additives (alumina, zirconia, zinc oxide, hydroxyapatite, or tricalcium phosphate) was added to CAC (calcium aluminate cement), and these blends were used for scaffolds preparation via polymeric sponge replica. Aqueous suspensions were prepared with different solid contents. Sponges impregnated with 55 wt% solid were evaluated for the decomposition temperature by thermogravimetric analysis. The scaffolds microstructures were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and mercury intrusion porosimetry. The relative density was also calculated considering the theoretical density. The scaffolds (60 wt%) were characterized by cytotoxicity assay, total protein content, alkaline phosphatase activity, mineralized bone-like nodule formation, and cell adhesion.

Results

The blends prepared with 60 and 55 wt% solid were most suitable for sponge impregnation, resulting in scaffolds with higher fraction of open porosity. The tricalcium phosphate blends presented the best results regarding mineralized nodules.

Conclusion

The MTT tests and osteoblast cells adhered to the scaffolds provided predictive evidence of biocompatibility of the material which, associated with the satisfactory results obtained in the cell differentiation tests (ALP), suggested that the scaffolds developed are promising materials. Additionally, all scaffolds allowed the mineralized matrix formation which is a key issue for osteogenesis.

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Funding

The authors would like to acknowledge the Brazilian Research Foundations: FAPESP (2016/15032-3), CNPq (301665/2015-0), and FINEP for supporting this research, as well as Kerneos Aluminates (France) and Basf (Germany) for kindly supplying the CAC and additives samples. This study was also financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior-Brasil (CAPES)-Finance Code 001.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Research and Development, University of Vale do Paraíba, Av. Shishima Hifumi, 2911, São José dos Campos, SP, Brazil

    Iranel de Las Nieves González Vicuna, Karen Julie Santos Grancianinov, Kennedy Wallace dos Santos, Maricilia Silva Costa & Ivone Regina de Oliveira

  2. Centro Universitário FEI, São Bernardo do Campo, SP, Brazil

    Fernando dos Santos Ortega

  3. Institute of Science and Technology, Paulista State University, Av. Engenheiro Francisco José Longo, 777, São José dos Campos, SP, Brazil

    Daphne de Camargo Reis Mello & Luana Marotta Reis de Vasconcellos

  4. Materials Engineering Department, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), Rod. Washington Luiz, km 235, São Carlos, SP, Brazil

    Victor Carlos Pandolfelli

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  1. Iranel de Las Nieves González Vicuna
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  2. Karen Julie Santos Grancianinov
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  3. Kennedy Wallace dos Santos
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  9. Ivone Regina de Oliveira
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Correspondence to Ivone Regina de Oliveira.

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All animal procedures were carried out following the guidelines of the Research Ethics Committee of the School of Dentistry of São José dos Campos (protocol 006/2016-CEUA-ICT-UNESP).

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de Las Nieves González Vicuna, I., Grancianinov, K.J.S., dos Santos, K.W. et al. Scaffolds’ production based on calcium aluminate blends and their biological properties. Res. Biomed. Eng. 35, 131–141 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42600-019-00015-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42600-019-00015-0

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