In vitro osteoinduction potential of a novel silica coated hydroxyapatite bioscaffold seeded with rabbit mesenchymal stem cell

The objective of this study was to assess cyto compatibility of silica coated hydroxyapatite (HASi) bioceramic and rabbit bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (rBMSC) in terms of cell attachment, cell morphology, cell proliferation and osteogenic differentiation. The rBMSC were seeded on HASi blocks and maintained in standard culture conditions. Samples on day 3 and day 17 post-seeding were subjected for scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Day 3 post-seeding samples showed stem cell attachment with a wavy surface morphology and day 17 post-seeding sample showed expansion of attached rBMSCs with cell sheet like morphology and deposition of matrix in the form of crystals. Alizarin red staining of these trypsinized crystals showed positive staining, indicative of presence of calcium. Histological sections of decalcified samples on day 17 post-seeding showed areas of early new bone formation. It was concluded that silica coated hydroxyapatite could induce the osteogenic differentiation of rBMSC by day 17 post-seeding in the absence of any osteogenic induction media which was confirmed by the presence of crystal like matrix deposition on scanning electron microscopic analysis, alizarin red staining of trypsinized crystals and early new bone formation in histological sections.