Attenuation of Osteoclastic Activity Induced by Zinc-Containing Tricalcium Phosphate

Osteoclasts isolated from rabbits were cultured on zinc-containing tricalcium phosphate (ZnTCP) disks with zinc contents of 0.316 and 0.633 wt%, and on β-tricalcium phosphate (TCP) disks with nearly identical porosities, grain sizes and surface roughnesses. ZnTCPs directly suppressed the resorption activity of mature osteoclasts by enhancing apoptosis. We hypothesized that resorbing osteoclasts attached to ZnTCP locally accumulate zinc ions within the space defined by the clear zone during resorption, which in turn leads to apoptosis induction, even though the change in chemical composition of the culture medium is very small.