Labeling of a self-hardening bone substitute using ruthenium tris-bipyridine complexes, for the analysis of its in vivo metabolism

A self-setting cellulose scaffold, used as a component of an injectable bone substitute, was labeled with ruthenium tris-bipyridine complexes functionalized by triethoxysilane groups. The labeling yield was found to vary according to the number and location of Si(OR)(3) groups present on the ruthenium complex backbone. For label loadings, less than similar to 0.1 wt%, no significant modification of the theological properties of the gel was observed.