The biological response of strontium (Sr) doped hydroxyapatite (HA) and hydroxyapatite–zirconia (HA–ZrO2) composites produced by employing sol–gel technology, minimal ZrO2 loadings, and novel microwave-sintering regimes thereby retarding decomposition, is reported. In vitro evaluations indicate that all materials induce a favorable response from rat osteosarcoma cells. In vivo evaluations show osteoconductivity and biocompatibility for both the Sr–HA and HA–ZrO2. The materials did not cause any inflammatory response in bone. The Sr–HA displays better biocompatibility which may be due to the incorporation of Sr and the formation of a surface apatite layer.
CurranDJFlemingTJKawachiGOhtsukiCTowlerMR. Characterisation and mechanical testing of hydrothermally treated HA/ZrO2 composites. J Mater Sci – Mater Med2009; 20: 2235–2241.
2.
CurranDJFlemingTJTowlerMRHampshireS. Mechanical properties of hydroxyapatite–zirconia compacts sintered by two different sintering methods. J Mater Sci – Mater Med2009; 21: 1109–1120.
3.
Bandyopadhyay-GhoshSReaneyIMBrookIMHurrell-GillinghamKJohnsonA. In vitro biocompatibility of fluorcanasite glass-ceramics for bone tissue repair. J Biomed Mater Res2007; 80(1): 175–183.
4.
TowlerMRBoydDFreemanCFarthingPBrookIM. Comparison of in vitro and in vivo bioactivity of SrO-CaO-ZnO-SiO2 glass grafts. J Biomater Appl2009; 23: 561–572.
5.
KimHWNohYJKohYHKimHE. Enhanced performance of fluorine substituted hydroxyapatite composites for hard tissue engineering. J Mater Sci – Mater Med2003; 14: 899–904.
6.
HingKAGibsonIRDi SilvioLBestSMBonfieldW. Effect of variation in Ca:P ratio on cellular response of primary human osteoblast-like cells to hydroxyapatite-based ceramics. Bioceramics1998; 11: 293–296.
7.
CihláøJBuchalATrunecM. Kinetics of thermal decomposition of hydroxyapatite bioceramics. J Mater Sci1999; 34: 6121–6131.
8.
Bernache-AssollantDAbabouAChampionEHeughebaertM. Sintering of calcium phosphate hydroxyapatite Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2 I. Calcination and particle growth. J Eur Ceram Soc2003; 23: 229–241.
9.
SilvaVVLameirasFSDominguezRZ. Microstructural and mechanical study of zirconia-hydroxyapatite composite ceramics for biomedical applications. Compos Sci Technol2001; 61(2): 301–310.
10.
KimHWKnowlesJCLiLHKimHE. Mechanical performance and osteoblast-like cell response of fluorine-submitted hydroxyapatite and zirconia dense composite. J Biomed Mater Res Part A2005; 72A(3): 258–268.
11.
InuzukaMNakamuraSKishiSYoshidaKHashimotoKTodaY. Hydroxyapatite-doped zirconia for preparation of biomedical composites ceramics. Solid State Ionics2004; 172(1–4): 509–513.
12.
HeimannRBVuTA. Effect of CaO on thermal decomposition during sintering of composite hydroxyapatite-zirconia mixtures for monolithic bioceramic implants. J Mater Sci Lett1997; 16: 437–439.
13.
MatsuyukiMMurataH. Strontium substitution in bioactive calcium phosphates: a first-principles study. J Phys Chem2009; 113: 3584–3589.
14.
CanalisEHottMDeloffrePTsouderosYMariePJ. The divalent strontium salt S12911 enhances bone cell replication and bone formation in vitro. Bone1996; 18: 517–523.
15.
ChristoffersonJChristoffersonMRKolthoffNBarenholdtO. Effects of strontium ions on growth and dissolution of hydroxyapatite and on bone mineral detection. Bone1997; 20: 47–54.
CapucciniCTorricelliPSimaFBoaniniERistoscuCBracciB. Strontium-substituted hydroxyapatite coatings synthesized by pulsed-laser deposition: in vitro osteoblast and osteoclast response. Acta Biomater2008; 4: 1885–1893.
19.
ColumbeJFaureHRobinBRautM. In vitro effects of strontium ranelate on the extracellular calcium-sensing receptor. Biochem Biophys Res Commun2004; 323: 1184–1190.
20.
ChangBSLeeCKHongKSYounHJRyuHSChungSS. Osteoconduction at porous hydroxyapatite with various pore configurations. Biomaterials2000; 21: 1291–1298.
21.
ErbeEMMarxJGClineffTDBellincampiLD. Potential of an ultraporous ß-tricalcium phosphate synthetic cancellous bone void filler and bone marrow aspirate composite graft. Eur Spine J2001; 10(S2): 141–146.
22.
NiGXChiuKYLuWWWangYZhangYGHaoLB. Strontium-containing hydroxyapatite bioactive bone cement in revision hip arthroplasty. Biomaterials2006; 27(24): 348–355.
23.
PiconiCMaccauroG. Zirconia as a ceramic biomaterial. Biomaterials1999; 20(1): 1–25.
24.
GuptaTKBechtoldJHKuznickieRCCadoffLHRossingBR. Stabilization of tetragonal phase in polycrystalline zirconia. J Mater Sci1977; 12: 2421–2426.
25.
HisberguesMVendevilleSVendevilleP. Zirconia: Established facts and perspectives for a biomaterial in dental implantology. J Biomed Mater Res Part B2008; 88(2): 519–529.
26.
JarchoMBolenCHThomasMBBobickJKayJFDoremusRH. Hydroxylapatite synthesis and characterization in dense polycrystalline form. J Mater Sci1976; 11: 2027–2035.
27.
WongKLWongCTLiuWCPanHBFongMKLamWM. Mechanical properties and in vitro response of strontium containing hydroxyapatite/polyetheretherketone composites. Biomaterials2009; 30(23–24): 3810–3817.
28.
LeeTMTsaiRSChangEYangCYYangMR. Biological responses of neonatal rat calvarial osteoblasts on plasma-sprayed HA/ZrO2 composite coating. J Mater Sci – Mater Med2002; 13(3): 281–287.
29.
ZreiqatHRamaswamyYWuCPaschalidisALuZJamesB. The incorporation of strontium and zinc into a calcium–silicon ceramic for bone tissue engineering. Biomaterials2010; 31: 3175–3184.
