Bone Grafts Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Bone Grafts, including details on spine fusion, surgery, procedure, risks.

The interaction between osteoclast-like cells and osteoblasts mediated by nanophase calcium phosphate-hybridized tendons.

Mutsuzaki H, Sakane M, Ito A, Nakajima H, Hattori S, Miyanaga Y, Tanaka J, Ochiai N

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennoudai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8575, Japan.

We developed a novel technique of hybridizing calcium phosphate (CaP) with bioorganic soft tissue using an alternating soaking process. By this technique, we hybridized CaP with a grafted tendon tissue to bond with a bone tunnel. Tendons were soaked in Ca and NaHPO(4) solutions alternately for 10 min. Needle-like CaP crystals 30-50 nm in length including low-crystalline apatite were deposited on and between collagen fibrils from the surface to 200 microm deep in the tendon. In light and transmission electron microscopic images, osteoclast-like cells and osteoblasts appeared on the implanted tendon and osteoid was observed on the tendon surface at 1 week postoperatively. At 2 weeks postoperatively, osteoclast-like cells resolved the tendon by forming Howship's lacuna-like spaces on the surfaces and osteoblasts formed osteoid in these spaces. Direct bonding between the implanted tendon and the newly formed bone was observed. At 3 weeks postoperatively, thick newly formed bone firmly bonded to tendon surface. From these results, we conclude that the tendons prepared by an accelerated CaP hybridization method efficiently enhance osteoclast-like cells and osteoblasts to bond the implanted tendons to newly formed bone.

Published 16 September 2004 in Biomaterials, 26(9): 1027-34.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2004-2008 Bone Grafts Research Today. All Rights Reserved.