Osteoclastic resorption of calcium phosphate ceramics with different hydroxyapatite beta-tricalcium phosphate ratios

To study the influence of calcium phosphate ceramic solubility on osteoclastic resorption, neonatal rabbit bone cells were cultured for 2 days on hydroxyapatite (HA), beta-tricalcium phosphate (beta-TCP) and two types of biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) with HA/beta-TCP ratios of 25/75 and 75/25. Solubility was regulated by varying the ratio of less-soluble HA and more-soluble beta-TCP. After removal of stromal cells by pronase E treatment, ceramic surfaces were observed by scanning electron microscopy. Osteoclasts resorbed BCP most extensively, with an HA/beta-TCP ratio of 25/75, producing typical lobulated, zig-zag track-like resorption lacunae. On pure beta-TCP, which had the highest solubility in acid, osteoclasts formed smaller discontinuous island-like lacunae. The resorption pattern may have been modified by the large number of calcium ions released into the acidic microenvironment at the osteoclast-ceramic interface. No resorption lacunae were found on the other specimens. The extent of osteoclastic resorption of calcium phosphate ceramics might, to a certain degree, be proportional to solubility, although this was not the case when solubility was very high. It would appear that ceramic solubility influences osteoclast resorption activity. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Limited. All rights reserved.