Enhancement of mechanical strength and in vivo cytocompatibility of porous β-tricalcium phosphate ceramics by gelatin coating

BACKGROUND: In an attempt to prepare scaffolds with porosity and compressive strength as high as possible, we prepared porous β-tricalcium phosphate (TCP) scaffolds and coated them with regenerative medicine-grade gelatin. The effects of the gelatin coating on the compressive strength and in vivo osteoblast compatibility were investigated. METHODS: Porous β-TCP scaffolds were prepared and coated with up to 3 mass% gelatin, and then subjected to thermal cross-linking. The gelatin-coated and uncoated scaffolds were then subjected to compressive strength tests and implantation tests into bone defects of Wistar rats. RESULTS: The compressive strength increased by one order of magnitude from 0.45 MPa for uncoated to 5.1 MPa for gelatin-coated scaffolds. The osteoblast density in the internal space of the scaffold increased by 40 % through gelatin coating. CONCLUSIONS: Coating porous bone graft materials with gelatin is a promising measure to enhance both mechanical strength and biomedical efficacy at the same time.