Creation of highly functional CO3Ap-collagen scaffold biomaterials

Physicochemical properties of apatites are affected dramatically by the substitution of trace elements. Especially, biological apatites constituting bone and teeth contain several wt% of CO(3)(2- )ions, which are related to the crystallinity and solubility. Recently, scaffold biomaterials are being developed with a shape-maintaining property in addition to large pores and high porosity, into which cells can easily invade. To develop a new biodegradable scaffold biomaterial, bone-like carbonate apatites (CO(3)Ap) were synthesized and CO(3)Ap-collagen scaffolds were created. This scaffold biomaterial is useful for regions with bone regeneration ability. When these sponge-frame complexes with rh-BMP2 were implanted beneath the periosteum cranii of rats, sufficient new bone was created at the surface of the periosteum cranii after 4 weeks' implantation. Furthermore, when a CO(3)Ap-collagen sponge containing SVVYGLR peptide was implanted as a graft into a tissue defect created in rat tibia, the migration of numerous vascular endothelial cells, as well as prominent angiogenesis inside the graft, could be detected after 1 week. Thus, the modification of higher functions such as cytokine and angiogenesis factors is effective for low regeneration regions using tissue engineering biomaterials.