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Rational design and fabrication of monophasic bioceramic microspheres with enhanced mechanical and biological performances in reconstruction of segmental bone defect

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Abstract

Over the past decades, there has been extensive study on the design of porous bioceramic scaffolds with controlled bioactivity and biodegradation in bone tissue repair. A variety of suggestive models and concepts have been proposed with regard to the role of microstructure and composition of biomaterials which affect new bone tissue growth. However, it is a challenge to fabricate functional scaffolds with the desired physiological properties and osteogenic potentials that is comparable to the bone’s natural healing time scale. We demonstrate a one-step versatile fabrication of a single-phase and homogenously mixed bioactive load-bearing scaffolds (Sr-CS, CaSiO3/Ca2SiO4, and CaP) with superior biological properties in a critical size bone defect (Ø ~ 6.0 × 8.0 mm). In vivo study revealed the CaSiO3/Ca2SiO4 scaffold had the best amount of new bone growth and osteogenic repair. The Sr-CS exhibited an adequate pore network for rapid inorganic exchange and moderate mechanical stability; however, the CaSiO3/Ca2SiO4 saw over-fast resorption and mass loss compared to the Sr-CS and CaP. On the other hand, the CaP scaffold saw mechanically outstanding elastroplastine and stability but had limited biodegradation of its constructs which retarded new cancellous bone growth. The CaSiO3/Ca2SiO4 group saw superior acceleration and formation of mineralized new bone tissues in the defect. Moreover, the CaSiO3/Ca2SiO4 showed appreciable decay of the biomaterials beneficial for osteogenic cell activity. The dramatic stimulation of bone repair and angiogenesis with the CaSiO3/Ca2SiO4 suggests a promising application of this novel bioactive scaffold in the repair of skeletal defects.

Graphical abstract

Systemic representation of the fabricated microspheres with in vivo and in vitro study analysis

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Funding

This work was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2018YC1105401) and the Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China (LY15H180006).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopedics Affiliated, Jiangnan Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Xiaoshan Traditional Hospital Yucai Road-152, Xiaoshan District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of China

    Yu Cong, Zhong Liang, Ni Jianping & Hu Wenyue

  2. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310009, China

    Ghamor-Amegavi Edem Prince & Xiangfeng Zhang

  3. Orthopedics Research Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310000, China

    Ghamor-Amegavi Edem Prince & Xiangfeng Zhang

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  1. Yu Cong
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Correspondence to Yu Cong.

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Cong, Y., Liang, Z., Jianping, N. et al. Rational design and fabrication of monophasic bioceramic microspheres with enhanced mechanical and biological performances in reconstruction of segmental bone defect. Med Biol Eng Comput 60, 1691–1703 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11517-022-02571-7

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