Hemocyanin Modification of Chitosan Scaffolds with Calcium Phosphate Phases Increase the Osteoblast/Osteoclast Activity Ratio—A Co-Culture Study

摘要

The ongoing research on biomaterials that support bone regeneration led to the quest formaterials or material modifications that can actively influence the activity or balance of bone tissuecells. The bone biocompatibility of porous chitosan scaffolds was modified in the present study bythe addition of calcium phosphates or hemocyanin. The first strategy comprised the incorporationof calcium phosphates into chitosan to create a biomimetic chitosan—mineral phase composite. Thesecond strategy comprised dip-coating of chitosan scaffolds with hemocyanin extracted fromcrayfish hemolymph. The cytocompatibility was assessed in a mono-culture of human bone marrowstromal cells (hBMSCs) and their differentiation to osteoblasts; in a mono-culture of humanmonocytes (hMs) and their maturation to osteoclasts; and in a co-culture of hBMSC/osteoblasts—hM/osteoclasts. Mineral incorporation caused an increase in scaffold bioactivity, as shown byreduced calcium concentration in the cell culture medium, delayed differentiation of hBMSCs, andreduced osteoclastic maturation of hMs in mono-culture. Dip-coating with hemocyanin led toincreased proliferation of hBMSCs and equivalent osteoclast maturation in mono-culture, while inco-culture, both an inhibitory effect of mineral incorporation on osteoblastogenesis and stimulatoryeffects of hemocyanin were observed. It was concluded that highly bioactive scaffolds (containingmineral phases) restrain osteoblast and osteoclast development, while hemocyanin coatingsignificantly supports osteoblastogenesis. These influences on the osteoblasts/osteoclasts activityratio may support scaffold-driven bone healing in the future.