Biological glass coating on ceramic materials:: in vitro evaluation using primary osteoblast cultures from healthy and osteopenic rat bone

• Published in: Biomaterials 2001-09, Vol.22 (18), p.2535-2543
• Main Authors: Torricelli, P, Verné, E, Brovarone, C.Vitale, Appendino, P, Rustichelli, F, Krajewski, A, Ravaglioli, A, Pierini, G, Fini, M, Giavaresi, G, Giardino, R
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alumina; Aluminum Oxide; Animal cell culture; Animals; Biocompatibility; Biocompatible Materials; Biological and medical sciences; Biomaterials; Bone; Bone Diseases, Metabolic - pathology; Bone Diseases, Metabolic - surgery; Cell Adhesion; Cell cultures; Cell Division; Cells, Cultured; Ceramics; Coated Materials, Biocompatible; Enamels; Fused silica; Materials Testing; Medical sciences; Orthopedic surgery; Osteoblasts - cytology; Osteopenia; Prostheses and Implants; Rats; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Technology. Biomaterials. Equipments; Thermal expansion; Zirconia; Zirconium
• ISSN: 0142-9612; 1878-5905
• DOI: 10.1016/S0142-9612(00)00444-0

ZrO 2 and Al 2O 3 substrates were successfully coated by a double layer of a silica-based glass named RKKP, using a low-cost firing technique. RKKP is a glass well known for its bioactivity; therefore, a RKKP coating on Al 2O 3 or ZrO 2, allows to combine the excellent mechanical properties of these strong ceramic substrates with its bioactivity. ZrO 2 samples were easily coated using a double layer of RKKP by a simple enamelling technique. To accommodate the thermal expansion coefficient mismatch between Al 2O 3 and RKKP, this substrate was coated using a multilayered composite approach. All of the coatings were characterised from a morphological and compositional point of view, and an extensive biological evaluation was performed using fresh rat osteoblasts. Osteoblast primary cultures were derived from the trabecular bone of femoral condyles harvested from intact (NB) and osteopenic (OB) rats. After characterisation of their phenotype, osteoblasts were seeded on material samples of ZrO 2 or Al 2O 3 coated with RKKP, and cultured for 7 days. Cell proliferation (MTT test) and cell differentiation (alkaline phosphatase activity) were evaluated at the end of the experiment, to assess osteoblast behaviour in the presence of biomaterials and determine if the results were related to the host bone quality. Results of both materials showed a good level of biocompatibility. In particular, MTT significant higher values were detected in NB cultures on ZrO 2–RKKP samples; ALP activity significantly increased in NB cultures on Al 2O 3–RKKP and in OB cultures on both coated samples.