Hydroxyapatite coated with insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) stimulates human osteoblast activity in vitro

We studied the effects of a hydroxyapatite-tri calcium phosphate material c oated with Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF1) on cell growth, collagen syn thesis and alkaline phosphatase activity (ALP) of human osteoblasts in vitr o. Cell proliferation was stimulated when osteoblasts were incubated with u ntreated hydroxyapatite (HA) and it was further increased by exposure to IG F1-coated HA. H-3-Proline uptake was significantly increased by treatment w ith either HA or IGF1-coated HA but no significant differences were found b etween these two groups. ALP activity was enhanced by exposure to HA, with respect to the control, and further increased by treatment with IGF1-coated HA. Our findings suggest that HA is useful for promoting osteoblast activi ty and IGF1 may help to improve its biological characteristics.