A study of osteocalcin production in vitro on various hydroxyapatite based biomaterials

Hydroxyapatite based biomaterials were prepared by a spark plasma sintering technology. The human limb-derived osteoblasts were cultured on the various biomaterial surfaces (HA, RF21, 1SiHA and 5SiHA) for up to two weeks to investigate the cellular behaviors. The bone gammacarboxyglutamic protein or osteocalcin in the medium were determined at different periods of cell culture. The results indicated that a combined effect of bioceramic surface composition and surface morphology had influenced the osteoblast behaviors. The amount of osteocalcin in the medium increased in the initial periods of culture but decreased in the late periods of culture.Accepted versio