[Preparation and characterization of bovine bone collagen matrix]

A process of preparing bovine cortical bone in order to form materials suitable for biomedical xenograft implants was described. Fresh bone samples cut from the middiaphyseal region of bovine femora were obtained from a local slaughterhouse. The bovine bone collagen matrix (BBCM) of various shapes fabricated from bovine bone by defatting and deproteination procedure may be implanted surgically for various purposes. The bone cubes were first defatted in a mixture of defatting agent; subsequently, the samples were extracted to release noncollagenous proteins, followed by digestion using a proteolytic enzyme to remove the telopeptide portions of collagen and residual noncollagenous proteins. Finally,the samples were dried in vacuum, packed and sterilized by gamma irradiation. The bone specimens were characterized by a suite of analytical techniques involving FTIR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), uniaxial tension mechanical tests and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The result showed that BBCM occurred as a white structure with suitable porosity. It contains reasonable proprotion of mineral and organic components in the original osseous architecture of the bovine bone, which is beneficial to keeping the mechanic property and weaker immunogenicity; therefore, it can serve as a potential bone implantable material and extracellular matrix material in bone tissue engineering.