COLLAGEN-TEMPLATED SOL-GEL PREPARATION OF ULTRA-FINE SILICA NANOTUBE MATS AND OSTEOBLASTIC CELL PROLIFERATION

摘要

Novel Ca-containing tubular silica nano-fibril (NT) mats were fabricated using reassembled collagen fibrils as the template, and their structure, in vitro apatite formation, and cell compatibility were studied. The reassembled collagen fibrils were soaked in a Stober type sol-gel precursor mixture of tetraethoxysilane/ethanol/water/ammonium hydroxide/CaCl_2 for 24 h at room temperature to produce silica-coated collagen fibril hybrids, which were subsequently calcined at 600 °C to produce Ca-containing silica NT mats. When soaked in Kokubo's simulated body fluid, the resultant mats deposited petal-like apatite crystallites: the silica NTs had in vitro bioactivity. They favored attachment and growth of osteoblast-like MC3T3-E1 cells, and the addition of Ca(II) was found a key factor to stimulate cell proliferation and differentiation.