Abstract
Background: The fundamental electrical properties of bone have been attributed to the organic collagen and the inorganic mineral component; however, contributions of individual components within bone tissue toward the measured electrical properties are not known. In our study, we investigated the electrical properties of cell-mediated mineral deposition process and compared our results with cell-free mineralization. Materials and Methods: Saos-2 cells encapsulated within gelatin methacrylate (GelMA) hydrogels were chemically stimulated in osteogenic medium for a period of 4 weeks. The morphology, composition, and mechanical properties of the mineralized constructs were characterized using bright-field imaging, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FITR), nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), micro-CT, immunostaining, and mechanical compression tests. In parallel, a custom-made device was used to measure the electrical impedance of mineralized constructs. All results were compared with cell-free GelMA hydrogels mineralized through the simulated body fluid approach. Results: Results demonstrate a decrease in the electrical impedance of deposited mineral in both cell-mineralized and cell-free mineralized samples. Conclusions: This study establishes a model system to investigate in vivo and in vitro mineralization processes.
Original language | English (US) |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 73-84 |
Number of pages | 12 |
Journal | Bioelectricity |
Volume | 1 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jun 2019 |
Keywords
- electrical impedance
- gelatin methacrylate
- hydrogels
- mineral deposition
- simulated body fluid
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Transplantation
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering
- Biomedical Engineering
- Medicine (miscellaneous)