(93r) Engineering an Optimal Bone Tissue Model in Vitro to Study the Biocompatability of Calcium Phosphate Nanoshells for Bone Regeneration

Approximately ten million individuals are currently suffering from osteoporosis in the United States. Therapies for prevention and treatment involve the use of bis-phosphonate-based drugs to stop bone resorption, but these do not stimulate new bone growth. There is currently no cure for osteoporosis and other bone degenerative diseases. Calcium phosphate nanoshells (CaP shells) could eventually be an alternative and utilized as a carrier for targeted delivery of bone growth stimulating drugs. However, it is first necessary to examine CaP shells in vitro to study biocompatibility. In the current study, osteoblasts were cultured in 5-50% fetal bovine serum media, and analyzed to determine the optimal media and surfaces for proliferation, mineralization, and enzymatic activity. CaP shells were added to osteoblasts and grown in culture to determine their biocompatibility and endocytosis rates into the cells. Current research is focused on the design and development of an optimized three-dimensional scaffold for regeneration.