Arrangement techniques of proteins and cells using amorphous calcium phosphate nanofiber scaffolds

We demonstrate arrangement techniques of proteins and cells using an amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP) nanofiber scaffold. It is well known that protein andosteoblastic cell are preferably adsorbed onto ACP surface. The ACP nanofiber scaffold was prepared by calcium phosphate mineralization on a polypeptide monolayer-coated mica substrate, and ACP nanofibers were oriented unidirectionaly. In a protein system, the ACP nanofiber scaffold was soaked in a fluorescein isothiocyanate conjugated immunoglobulin G (IgG-FITC) aqueous solution. From fluorescence microscopic measurement, the adsorbed IgG-FITC was highly confined and arranged on the ACP nanofiber. In a cell system, a mouse osteoblast-like cell (MC3T3-E1) behavior on the ACP nanofiber scaffold was observed. The cell was elongated unidirectionaly, and its cytoskeletal shape showed high aspect ratio. These results are clearly different from an ACP bulk template or bare mica substrate, and the arrangement technique enable to fabricate a fine-tuned biomaterial template. Crown Copyright (c) 2011 Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.