Properties of the hydroxyapatite obtained by electrochemical assisted deposition (ED) are dependent on several factors including deposition temperature, electrolyte pH and concentrations, applied potential. All of these factors directly influence the morphology, stoichiometry, crystallinity, electrochemical behaviour, and particularly the coating thickness. Coating structure together with surface micro- and nano-scale topography significantly influence early stages of the implant bio-integration. The aim of this study is to analyse the effect of pH modification on the morphology, corrosion behaviour and in vitro bioactivity and in vivo biocompatibility of hydroxyapatite prepared by ED on the additively manufactured Ti64 samples. The coatings prepared in the electrolytes with pH = 6 have predominantly needle like morphology with the dimensions in the nanometric scale (~30 nm). Samples coated at pH = 6 demonstrated higher protection efficiency against the corrosive attack as compared to the ones coated at pH = 5 (~93% against 89%). The in vitro bioactivity results indicated that both coatings have a greater capacity of biomineralization, compared to the uncoated Ti64. Somehow, the coating deposited at pH = 6 exhibited good corrosion behaviour and high biomineralization ability. In vivo subcutaneous implantation of the coated samples into the white rats for up to 21 days with following histological studies showed no serious inflammatory process.
In current orthopedic practice, bone implants used to-date often exhibit poor osteointegration, impaired osteogenesis, and, eventually, implant failure. Actively pursued strategies for tissue engineering could overcome these shortcomings by developing new hybrid materials with bioinspired structure and enhanced regenerative potential. In this study, the osteogenic and therapeutic potential of bioactive vaterite is investigated as a functional component of a fibrous polymeric scaffold for bone regeneration. Hybrid two-layered polycaprolactone scaffolds coated with vaterite (PCL/CaCO 3 ) are studied during their 28-days implantation period in a rat femur defect. After this period, the study of tissue formation in the defected area is performed by the histological study of femur cross-sections. Immobilization of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) into PCL/CaCO 3 scaffolds accelerates new bone tissue formation and defect repair. PCL/CaCO 3 and PCL/CaCO 3 /ALP scaffolds reveal 37.3% and 62.9% areas, respectively, filled with newly formed bone tissue in cross-sections compared to unmineralized PCL scaffold (17.5%). Bone turnover markers are monitored on the 7th and 28th days after implantation and reveal an increase of osteocalcin level for both PCL/CaCO 3 and PCL/CaCO 3 /ALP compared with PCL indicating the activation of osteogenesis. These findings indicate that vaterite, as an osteoconductive component of polymeric scaffolds, promotes osteogenesis, supports angiogenesis, and facilitates bone defect repair.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.