Mechanical and Biological Properties of Magnesium- and Silicon-Substituted Hydroxyapatite Scaffolds

Magnesium (Mg)- and silicon (Si)-substituted hydroxyapatite (HA) scaffolds were synthesized using the sponge replica method. The influence of Mg2+ and SiO44- ion substitution on the microstructural, mechanical and biological properties of HA scaffolds was evaluated. All synthesized scaffolds exhibited porosity > 92%, with interconnected pores and pore sizes ranging between 200 and 800 mu m. X-ray diffraction analysis showed that beta-TCP was formed in the case of Mg substitution. X-ray fluorescence mapping showed a homogeneous distribution of Mg and Si ions in the respective scaffolds. Compared to the pure HA scaffold, a reduced grain size was observed in the Mg- and Si-substituted scaffolds, which greatly influenced the mechanical properties of the scaffolds. Mechanical tests revealed better performance in HA-Mg (0.44 & PLUSMN; 0.05 MPa), HA-Si (0.64 & PLUSMN; 0.02 MPa) and HA-MgSi (0.53 & PLUSMN; 0.01 MPa) samples compared to pure HA (0.2 & PLUSMN; 0.01 MPa). During biodegradability tests in Tris-HCl, slight weight loss and a substantial reduction in mechanical performances of the scaffolds were observed. Cell proliferation determined by the MTT assay using hBMSC showed that all scaffolds were biocompatible, and the HA-MgSi scaffold seemed the most effective for cell adhesion and proliferation. Furthermore, ALP activity and osteogenic marker expression analysis revealed the ability of HA-Si and HA-MgSi scaffolds to promote osteoblast differentiation.

Automated summary

Magnesium- and silicon-substituted hydroxyapatite scaffolds were synthesized and evaluated for their microstructural, mechanical, and biological properties. Results showed that Mg and Si substitution led to improved mechanical properties and enhanced cell proliferation, with the HA-MgSi scaffold showing the most effective performance for cell adhesion and proliferation. Additionally, HA-Si and HA-MgSi scaffolds were found to promote osteoblast differentiation.