Influence of Biomimetic Apatite Coating on the Biobehavior of TiO2 Scaffolds

Immersion of scaffolds in Simulated Body Fluid (10SBF) is a standardized method for evaluating their bioactivity, simulating in vivo conditions where apatite deposits can be formed on the surface of scaffold, facilitating bone integration and ensuring their suitability for bone implant purposes, ultimately contributing to long-term implant success. The effect of apatite deposition on bioactivity and cell behavior of TiO₂ scaffolds was studied. Scaffolds were soaked in 10SBF for different durations to form HAP layer on their surface. The results proved the development of a hydroxyapatite film resembling the mineral composition of bone Extracellular Matrix (ECM) on the TiO₂ scaffolds. The XRD test findings showed the presence of hydroxyapatite layer similar to bone at the depth of 10 nm. A decrease in the specific surface area (18.913 m²g^− 1), the total pore volume (0.045172 cm³g^− 1 (at p/p₀ = 0.990)), and the mean pore diameter (9.5537 nm), were observed by BET analysis which confirmed the formation of the apatite layer. It was found that titania scaffolds with HAP coating promoted human osteosarcoma bone cell (MG63) cell attachment and growth. It seems that immersing the scaffolds in 10SBF to form HAP coating before utilizing them for bone tissue engineering applications might be a good strategy to promote bioactivity, cell attachment, and implant fixation.