EFFECTS OF CALCIUM-PHOSPHATE BIOCERAMICS ON SKELETAL-MUSCLE CELLS

With advances in ceramics technology, calcium phosphate bioceramics ha ve been applied as bone substitutes. The effects of implants on bony t issue have been investigated. The effects upon adjacent skeletal muscl es have not been determined. The focus of this work is to elucidate th e biological effects of various calcium phosphate bioceramics on skele tal muscles. Four different kinds of powder of calcium phosphate bioma terials including beta-tricalcium phosphate (beta-TCP), hydroxyapatite (HA), beta-dicalcium pyrophosphate (beta-DCP) and sintered beta-dical cium pyrophosphate (SDCP), were tested by myoblast cell cultures. The results were analyzed by cell count, cell morphology and concentration of transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) in culture medium. The cell population and TGF-beta 1 concentration of the control sample increased persistently as the time of culture increased. The changes in cell population and TGF-beta 1 concentration in culture medium of t he beta-TCP and HA were quite low in the first 3 days of culture, then increased gradually toward the seventh day. The changes in cell popul ation and TGF-beta 1 concentration in culture medium of the silica, be ta-DCP, and SDCP were quite similar. They were lower during the first day of culture but increased and reached that of the control medium af ter 7 days' culture. Most cells on beta-TCP and HA diminished in size with radially spread, long pseudopods. We conclude that HA and beta-TC P are thought to have an inhibitory effect on growth of the myoblasts. The HA and beta-TCP may interfere with the repair and regeneration of injured skeletal muscle after orthopedic surgery. (C) 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.