EUROPEAN CONGRESS AND EXHIBITION ON ADVANCED MATERIALS AND PROCESSES - EUROMAT 2021

Fetuin is a high abundant serum glycoprotein and a major non-collagenous protein, essential for biomineralization. The inductive effect on bone formation, thus mineralization, is one of the major benefits of magnesium (Mg)-based biomaterials for orthopaedic applications. Due to the high affinity of fetuin to calcium (Ca)-salts, fetuin might have a synergistic effect with Mg-based biomaterial on mineralization. Furthermore, as Ca-phosphate precipitates on passive layer, fetuin may also have an impact on Mg degradation behaviour. Therefore, the potential interaction of fetuin with Mg was investigated under in vitro conditions in the presence of Ca. Extruded pure Mg samples were immersed under cell culture conditions in Hank’s balanced salt solution (HBSS) with defined Ca (2-8 mM) and fetuin (1-3 mg/mL) concentrations.
The results showed a significant decreased degradation rate when both fetuin and Ca were present in immersion medium (compared to media without fetuin and Ca). The decrease of the Mg content released in the immersion media supported the reduced degradation of Mg under synergistic impact of fetuin and Ca. Microscopic images combined with elemental imaging showed a dense layer containing Ca and P at the surface, which probably act as degradation protection.
In vitro studies will be performed to show whether this protective layer is improving adhesion, proliferation, and function of osteoblast progenitor cells.