Preparation and evaluation of β-TCP/polylactide microspheres as osteogenesis materials

• Published in: Journal of applied polymer science Vol. 108; no. 5; pp. 3210 - 3217
• Main Authors: Lin, Li Chun, Chang, Shwu Jen, Kuo, Shyh Ming, Niu, Gregory Cheng-Chie, Keng, Hao Kai, Tsai, Pei Hua
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 05.06.2008; Wiley
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Biological and medical sciences; Composites; Exact sciences and technology; Forms of application and semi-finished materials; Medical sciences; microspheres; osteogenesis material; polylactide; Polymer industry, paints, wood; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Technology of polymers; Technology. Biomaterials. Equipments; w/o/w emulsion; β-calcium phosphate; Cell proliferation; Biological properties; Microsphere; Biodegradability; Emulsification; Tissue engineering; microspheres; Experimental study; Composite particles; Lactone polymer; β-calcium phosphate; Calcium Phosphates; osteogenesis material; Lactic acid polymer; Morphology; Aliphatic polymer; Water oil water emulsion; Osteoblast; Manufacturing; polylactide; w/o/w emulsion; Osteogenesis
• ISSN: 0021-8995; 1097-4628
• DOI: 10.1002/app.27309

In the osteological field, the study of repairing and recovering processes for bone tissues has been one of the major clinical research subjects. To promote the bone healing, bioactive composite materials have been employed for the filling and supporting of defects, voids or diseased parts. In this study, a series of microsphere composites made from polylactide (PLA), a biodegradable polymer, and β-calcium phosphate (β-TCP), an osteogenesis material, were prepared and estimated their potential applications in participation to the growth of new bone tissues on bone defects. By employing the water/oil/water (w/o/w) emulsion technique to fabricate a series of bioactive and biodegradable microspheres materials, we have found that one type of the microspheres: with diameter at 177 ± 33 μm, and enclosure of β-TCP at 18% (wt/wt), exhibiting smooth surface by the optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations, and showing slow yet steady calcium ion release and PLA degradation by in vitro test, showed excellent repairing and recovery of the chondrocyte and osteocyte tissues on drilled defects on the condyle of New Zealand rabbits within 1 month of application.