Effect of Porosity of Alumina and Zirconia Ceramics toward Pre-Osteoblast Response

Abstract

It is acknowledged that cellular responses are highly affected by biomaterial porosity. The investigation of this effect is important for the development of implanted biomaterials that integrate with bone tissue. Zirconia and alumina ceramics exhibit outstanding mechanical properties and are among the most popular implant materials used in orthopedics, but few data exist regarding the effect of porosity on cellular responses to these materials. The present study investigates the effect of porosity on the attachment and proliferation of pre-osteoblastic cells on zirconia and alumina. For each composition, ceramics of three different porosities are fabricated by sintering, and characterized using scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray powder diffraction. Cell proliferation is quantified, and microscopy is employed to qualitatively support the proliferation results and evaluate cell morphology. Cell adhesion and metabolic activity are found comparable among low porosity zirconia and alumina. In contrast, higher porosity favors better cell spreading on zirconia and improves growth, but does not significantly affect cell response on alumina. Between the highest porosity materials, cell response on zirconia is found superior to alumina. Results show that an average pore size of ~150 μm and ~50% porosity can be considered beneficial to cellular growth on zirconia ceramics.

Microstructural, Surface Roughness and Wettability of Titanium Alloy Coated by Yzp-30wt. % Tio2 for Dental Application

“…In fact, the roughness values were influenced by many factors such as the process of surface preparation, the presence of porosity, and cracks distribution within the coating. Based on the fact that the living cell tissue favoured the porosity between 1-10 µm [26], the present result suggests that the surface roughness of YSZ/TiO2 coatings may improve the osteoblasts attachment as well as promote a good osseointegration.…”

“…The YZP/TiO2 coating exhibited a relatively less wettability but this surface was proper from the point of morphology. Previous studies [26,27] claimed that a good osseointegration requires a proper surface topography with micropores with high surface roughness to support the cell attachment. This suggests that instead of low wettability, the YZP/TiO2 ceramic coating demonstrated high roughness value, thus, beneficial for cell growth and attachment [16,18].…”

Porous Zirconia/Magnesia Ceramics Support Osteogenic Potential In Vitro

“…It appears that the chemical composition of the ceramics did not affect the cell viability and proliferation, demonstrating the capacity of magnesia ceramics to support cell growth either in combination with zirconia or as pure magnesia. Previous studies have reported on the positive effect of scaffold porosity on cell proliferation, including zirconia and alumina ceramics [ 25 ]. In this study, the porosity of the ceramics ranging from 30–37% was not found to affect the cell viability, proliferation and osteogenic potential.…”

Morphological and Structural Study of a Novel Porous Nurse’s A Ceramic with Osteoconductive Properties for Tissue Engineering

“…There is some controversy in the published literature as to the effect of porosity on bone regeneration. Although it has been generally recognized that large pores (>100 µm) enhance new bone formation because they allow the migration and proliferation of osteoblasts and mesenchymal cells, it has also been reported that presence of micro-porosity alters the pattern and dynamics of osteointegration [ 26 ], and might enhance ionic exchange with body fluids. It has also been reported that a nanoporous structure improves cell adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation.…”