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Casein – nanosized nucleator for in vitro mineralization

D. M. DRAGUSIN1, A. SERAFIM1, T. ZECHERU1,2, C. STANCU1, E. VASILE3,* , V. CIUPINA4

Affiliation

  1. University Politehnica of Bucharest, 149 Calea Victoriei, 010072, Sector 1, Bucharest, Romania
  2. NBC Defense and Ecology Scientific Research Center, LAB-SATEX, 225 Soseaua Oltenitei, Sector 4, Bucharest, Romania
  3. METAV Research & Development, 31 C.A. Rosetti, Sector 2, Bucharest, Romania
  4. University Ovidius, 124 Bd. Mamaia, 900527, Constanta, Romania

Abstract

This work reports the use of nanostructured Casein as nucleator for the in vitro formation of apatite-like mineral phase. Protein physical immobilization during the free-radical polymerization of acrylamide monomer was performed. Two loadings of Casein in the carrier hydrogel were investigated. The capacity of the immobilized Casein to induce in vitro calcification was followed through incubation in synthetic body fluids with ionic composition similar to human plasma (SBF 1x and 1.5x) for maximum 21 days. Nucleation of calcium phosphate was observed only on the Casein-clusters. The nucleation is followed by homogeneous apatite coating of the whole samples. This study confirms the potential of Casein to be used as nucleator for in vitro apatite formation from acellular SBF media..

Keywords

Casein, Hydrogel, Calcification, In vitro mineralization.

Citation

D. M. DRAGUSIN, A. SERAFIM, T. ZECHERU, C. STANCU, E. VASILE, V. CIUPINA, Casein – nanosized nucleator for in vitro mineralization, Optoelectronics and Advanced Materials - Rapid Communications, 5, 12, December 2011, pp.1320-1324 (2011).

Submitted at: Nov. 16, 2011

Accepted at: Nov. 24, 2011