α/β-TCP silicate glass-ceramic obtained by sol–gel: Structure and in vitro bioactivity

A glass-ceramic in the CaO–P₂O₅–SiO₂ system, which contains two polymorphic modifications of tricalcium phosphate – whitlockite, β-Ca₃(PO₄)₂ and α-Ca₃(PO₄)₂, has been synthesized by the sol–gel method and thermal treatment up to 1200 °C. The phase composition and microstructure of the glass-ceramic were investigated with X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS). An in vitro bioactivity test of the glass-ceramic in a simulated body fluid (SBF) was conducted for up to 21 days. α-Ca₃(PO₄) dissolved almost completely in SBF after 7 days. The experimental results of XRD, FTIR, SEM and EDS clearly validated the ability of the glass-ceramic samples to form a layer of hydroxyapatite on their surface in an SBF environment. We also studied the cytotoxic effect of the glass-ceramic on murine bone marrow (BM) cells and pre-osteoclasts in vitro. The glass-ceramic reduced the viability of BM cells in a dose-dependent manner being less toxic at concentrations below 0.1 mg/ml. It modestly affected the viability of pre-osteoclasts cultured in osteoclast differentiation media. The obtained sample increased the percentage of pre-osteoclasts expressing the receptors involved in osteoclastogenesis (RANK) and apoptosis (TRAIL). In conclusion, the glass-ceramic showed the potential to affect the survival/differentiation of pre-osteoclasts at early stage of osteoclastogenesis. It might be suitable for tissue engineering including implants coating or scaffold as it can interfere with early stage of osteoclastogenesis which is required for proper bone remodelling and repair upon a long-term application of biomaterials.