The in vitro response of osteoclast-like and osteoblast cells to electrospun calcium phosphate biphasic candidate scaffolds for bone tissue engineering

2^nd International Conference and Exhibition on Materials Science & Engineering

October 07-09, 2013 Hampton Inn Tropicana, Las Vegas, NV, USA

Ilse Wepener, Wim Richter and Annie Joubert

Accepted Abstracts: J Material Sci

Abstract :

Successful long term bone replacement and repair still remains a challenge today. Nanotechnology has made it possible to alter the properties of biomaterials and therefore offer major improvements in the biological performance of biomaterials. In this study, biphasic (hydroxyapatite/β-tricalcium phosphate (HA/β-TCP)) nanobioceramic scaffolds were prepared by the electrospinning technique in order to mimic the extracellular matrix (ECM). Scaffolds were characterised by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Attentuated Total Reflectance Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR). Osteoblasts, as well as monocytes that were differentiated into osteoclast-like cells, were cultured separately on the biphasic bioceramic scaffolds for up to 6 days. Proliferation, adhesion and cellular response were determined using lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) cytotoxicity assay, nucleus and cytoskeleton dynamics, analysis of the cell cycle progression, measurement of the mitochondrial membrane potential and the detection of phosphatidylserine expression. For the osteoblast cells further studies included Alizarin Red-S staining to visualise mineralisation of the cells, intra-cellular calcium concentration and nitric oxide detection as well as confocal studies on the enzymes inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) expression. SEM analysis of the biphasic bioceramic scaffolds revealed nano fibers spun in a mesh-like scaffold. Results indicate that the biphasic bioceramic electrospun scaffolds are cytocompatible and have no significant negative effects on either osteoblasts or osteoclast-like cells in vitro .From this data, it can be concluded that the electrospun biphasic scaffolds can possibly be used in bone tissue engineering candidates for adherence and growth of osteoclast-like and osteoblast cells.

Biography :

Ilse Wepener holds a Masters degree in Biochemistry from Stellenbosch University. She is submitting her doctoral thesis in the Department of Physiology at the University of Pretoria. She was awarded merit bursaries for all her studies and awarded the ?Best Student Poster Gold? at the ICFPAM in 2011. She was nominated in 2013 by the South African Department of Science and Technology to attend the Lindau Nobel Laureatte Meeting in Germany. She is a permanent researcher and project manager at the CSIR in the Smart Polymers group and reviews manuscripts for journals and proposals for funding on a regular basis.