Normal and osteopenic bone-derived osteoblast response to a biomimetic gelatin-calcium phosphate bone cement.

We have recently developed a new calcium phosphate bone cement enriched with gelatin (GEL-CP), which exhibits improved mechanical properties with respect to the control cement (C-CP). In a previous study, we demonstrated the good response of osteoblast-like cells to the new biomimetic bone cement. Herein, we extend the investigation to primary culture of osteoblasts derived from healthy and pathological bones. Osteoblasts derived from normal (N-OB) and osteopenic (O-OB) sheep bones were cultured on samples of GEL-CP, and their behavior was compared with that of cells cultured on C-CP as control. Cell morphology, proliferation, and differentiation were evaluated at 3 and 7 days. SEM analysis revealed that both N-OB and O-OB showed a normal morphology when cultured on GEL-CP. Biological tests demonstrated that the gelatin-enriched cement improves osteoblasts' activity and differentiation of O-OB cultures, with respect to the control samples. The data indicate that the new composite cement positively stimulates alkaline phosphatase activity, collagen type I, and osteocalcin production, not only in N-OB, but also in O-OB culture. The improvement due to the presence of gelatin suggests that the biomimetic composite material could be successfully applied as bone substitute also in the presence of osteopenic bone.