Institute of Experimental Medicine CAS

In the latest issue of the International Journal of Molecular Sciences (IF 5,924), a new study was published on the evaluation of the osteogenic potential of type I collagen/bioceramics foam scaffolds using mesenchymal stromal cells.

 

Scientists from the IEM CAS Mgr. Veronika Hefka Blahnová and Mgr. Eva Filová, PhD. from the Department of Tissue Engineering collaborated with colleagues from the CEITEC research centre in this study.

 

Collagen I-based (Col I.) foams were modified with calcined or non-calcined hydroxyapatite (HAP) or calcium phosphates with various particle sizes and pores to monitor their effect on cell interactions. The resulting scaffolds thus differed in grain size, ranging from the nanoscale to microscopic, and possessed diverse morphological characteristics and resorbability. The materials' biological action was shown on human bone marrow MSCs. Scaffold morphology was identified by SEM. Using viability test, qPCR, and immunohistochemical staining, scientists evaluated the biological activity of all the materials.

 

This study revealed that the most suitable scaffold composition for osteogenesis induction is collagen I foam with calcined hydroxyapatite with a pore size of 360 ± 130 µm and a mean particle size of 0.130 µm. The expression of osteogenic markers RunX2 and Col I. mRNA was promoted, and a strong synthesis of extracellular protein osteocalcin was observed. Col I. / calcined HAP scaffold showed significant osteogenic potential and can be easily manipulated and tailored to the defect size, which gives it great potential for bone tissue engineering applications.