Carboxymethyl cellulose-stabilized calcium phosphate particles for injectable hydrogel-based bone tissue engineering

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Regenerative Medicine
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Calcium phosphate (CaP) is a key biomaterial in bone tissue engineering due to its osteoconductive properties.
• Amorphous calcium phosphate (aCaP) offers high reactivity for bone regeneration but suffers from poor stability in aqueous environments.
• Instability of aCaP limits its clinical application in bone defect treatments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To enhance the stability and injectability of amorphous calcium phosphate particles.
• To investigate the use of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) as a stabilizer for amorphous calcium phosphate.
• To develop a composite injectable hydrogel for bone regeneration applications.

Main Methods:

• An in situ wet chemical method was employed to synthesize CaP/CMC composite particles.
• Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) was used at a concentration of 500 mg L-1 to stabilize CaP particles.
• Synthesized CaP/CMC particles were incorporated into a methacrylated hyaluronic acid (MeHA) hydrogel matrix.

Main Results:

• Carboxymethyl cellulose effectively stabilized amorphous calcium phosphate particles, preventing phase transformation.
• The addition of CMC improved the dispersity of CaP particles in aqueous solutions.
• The resulting CaP/CMC-loaded MeHA hydrogel demonstrated potential as a stable, injectable bone regeneration material.

Conclusions:

• Carboxymethyl cellulose serves as an effective stabilizer for amorphous calcium phosphate particles.
• The developed injectable MeHA hydrogel incorporating stabilized CaP/CMC particles shows promise for bone tissue engineering.
• This approach offers a viable strategy for creating stable and injectable biomaterials for enhanced bone regeneration.