Probing the osteoinductive effect of calcium phosphate by using an in vitro biomimetic model

Tissue Eng Part A. 2011 Apr;17(7-8):1083-97. doi: 10.1089/ten.TEA.2010.0160. Epub 2011 Jan 16.

Abstract

The use of calcium phosphate (CaP)-based carriers in bone engineering is a promising approach to induce in vivo bone formation. However, the exact mechanism of osteoinduction by CaP is not known. Here, by mimicking the in vivo Ca(2+) and P(i)-enriched environment in an in vitro model, we assessed the effects of these ions on human periosteum-derived cells. We observed a significant Ca(2+) and P(i)-induced cell proliferation, which was found to be through the modulation of cell cycle progression, in a dose- and time-dependent manner. In addition, Ca(2+), P(i), and combined Ca-P upregulated osteogenic gene expression in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Encouragingly, both ions administered individually or in combination persistently and dose dependently upregulated bone morphogenetic protein-2 gene expression. This suggested a potential osteoinductive effect through an autonomous activation of the bone morphogenetic protein signaling pathway by released Ca(2+) and P(i), which may serve as an autocrine/paracrine osteoinduction loop that drives the cellularized CaP constructs toward effective bone formation in vivo. In conclusion, through an in vitro biomimetic model, we have partially probed the roles of the released Ca(2+) and P(i) on the osteoinductivity of CaP-based biomaterials.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biocompatible Materials / chemistry*
  • Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 / genetics
  • Calcium Phosphates / chemistry
  • Calcium Phosphates / pharmacology*
  • Cell Cycle / drug effects
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Core Binding Factor Alpha 1 Subunit / genetics
  • Gene Expression / drug effects
  • Gene Expression / genetics
  • Humans
  • Osteocalcin / genetics
  • Osteopontin / genetics
  • Periosteum / cytology
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

Substances

  • BMP2 protein, human
  • Biocompatible Materials
  • Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2
  • Calcium Phosphates
  • Core Binding Factor Alpha 1 Subunit
  • Osteocalcin
  • Osteopontin
  • calcium phosphate