Fabrication and in-vitro Evaluation of HA/UHMWPE composite as a Bone Substitute

The biological properties of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) based composites reinforced with hydroxyapatite (HA) particles were evaluated in in-vitro culture. The composites were manufactured by internal mixer and using paraffin oil to overcome the high viscosity of melted UHMWPE. Then, samples were fabricated using compression molding with different contents of HA. The biological properties of the samples were explored by proliferation (MTT) and cell adhesion assays using MG-63 osteoblast cells. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) micrographs revealed that HA particles homogeneously dispersed in UHMWPE by the internal mixer. SEM images exhibited that cell–biomaterial interaction carried out on the surface of the composites and Mg-63 cells with normal phenotypic shape adhered on the surface. Results of MTT assay illustrated that proliferation rate of MG-63 cells in the presence of composite samples with 50 wt. % HA after 7 days of incubation period was 11.27% and 2.7% higher than positive and negative control sample, respectively.