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Updated: Jun 25, 2026
Rapid Mix Preparation of Bioinspired Nanoscale Hydroxyapatite for Biomedical Applications
Published on: February 23, 2017
[Experimental research in vitro on antibacterial property and biocompatibility of silver-containing hydroxyapatite
Hongjiang Ruan1, Junjian Liu, Cunyi Fan
1Department of Orthopaedics, the Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, 200233, P.R. China.
Objective:
To prepare silver-containing hydroxyapatite coating (hydroxyapatite/Ag, HA/Ag) and investigate its antibacterial property and biocompatibility in vitro.
Methods:
Vacuum plasma spraying technique was adopted to prepare HA/Ag coating on titanium alloy substrate (3% Ag). After incubating the HA/Ag and the HA coating under staphylococcus aureus and pseudomonas aeruginosa suspensions of 2% tryptic soy broth (TBS) medium for 2, 4 and 7 days, respectively, the biofilm on the coatings was examined by confocal laser scanning microscope, and the bacterial density and viable bacterial percentage of bacterial biofilm were calculated. Meanwhile, the micro-morphology of bacterial biofilm was observed by SEM, the cytotoxicity was detected via MTT and the biocompatibility of biofilm was evaluated by acute haemolysis test.
Results:
Compared with HA coating, the bacterial biofilm's thickness on the surface of HA/Ag coating witnessed no significant difference at 2 days after culture (P > 0.05), but decreased obviously at 4 and 7 days after culture (P < 0.01). The bacterial density of the biofilm increased with time, but there was no significant difference between two coatings (P > 0.05) at 2, and 7 days after culture. The viable bacterial percentage of the biofilms on the surface of HA/Ag coating decreased obviously compared with that of HA coating at 2, 4 and 7 days after culture (P < 0.01). The MTT notified the cytotoxic grade of both coatings was zero. The acute haemolysis assay showed that the hemolytic rate of HA/Ag and HA coating was 0.19% and 0.12%, respectively.
Conclusion:
With good biocompatibility, significant antibacterial property against staphylococcus aureus and pseudomonas aeruginosa, no obvious cytotoxicity and no erythrocyte destruction, the vacuum plasma sprayed HA/Ag coating is a promising candidate for the surface of orthopedic metal implants to improve their osseointegration and antibacterial property.
