Osteoclastogenesis on hydroxyapatite ceramics: the effect of carbonate substitution

Human osteoclasts derived from CD14+ve precursors were cultured on discs of stoichiometric hydroxyapatite (HA) and carbonate-substituted hydroxyapatite (CHA) of varying carbonate contents. The development of osteoclasts was qualitatively different on ceramics compared to dentine, occurring in discrete, confluent subpopulations, which suggests local cell signaling may be important in the process. Resorption was quantified by scanning electron microscopy, surface profilometry, and by calcium release into the culture medium. Cells were characterised by a number of histochemical markers of the osteoclast phenotype. Resorption of the ceramic increased with increasing carbonate content up to 2.35 wt %, when resorption trails and pits characteristic of osteoclast activity were seen. Controlling carbonate content may be one way of controlling the rate of resorption of synthetic HA ceramics.