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Updated: Dec 24, 2025
Analysis of Minerals Produced by hFOB 1.19 and Saos-2 Cells Using Transmission Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive X-ray Microanalysis
Published on: June 24, 2018
Rapid bioinspired mineralization using cell membrane nanofragments and alkaline milieu
Emilio Satoshi Hara1, Masahiro Okada, Takuo Kuboki
1Department of Biomaterials, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Kita-ku, Okayama-shi, Okayama-ken, 700-8525, Okayama, Japan. tmatsu@md.okayama-u.ac.jp.
Alkaline conditions prime bone mineralization by influencing alkaline phosphatase activity and mineral precipitation. This discovery enables rapid in vitro synthesis of bone-like tissue using alkaline environments and artificial cell membranes.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Cell Biology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Bone formation is a complex cellular process.
- Understanding bone mineralization mechanisms is key for tissue engineering.
- Environmental factors significantly influence bone development.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate environmental factors priming initial bone mineralization in vivo.
- Apply findings to rapidly synthesize bone-like tissue in vitro.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the secondary ossification center as an in vivo model.
- Measured pH in femur epiphysis at post-natal day 6.
- Employed engineering approaches with alkaline milieu and artificial chondrocyte membrane nanofragments for in vitro synthesis.
- Cultured femur epiphysis ex vivo in alkaline pH.
Main Results:
- Femur epiphysis is alkaline (pH ~8.5) during initial mineralization.
- Alkaline pH is crucial for alkaline phosphatase activity, mineral precipitation, and spherical morphology.
- Rapid in vitro bone-like tissue synthesis achieved in 1 day using artificial nanofragments.
- Ex vivo culture in alkaline pH enhanced mineral formation and induced chondrocyte burst.
Conclusions:
- Alkaline microenvironment is critical for initiating bone formation in vivo.
- Alkaline conditions can significantly enhance in vitro bone tissue synthesis.
- Artificial chondrocyte membranes facilitate rapid mineralization.
