Preparation, Characterization, and In Vitro Bioactivity of Nagelschmidtite Bioceramics

The aim of this study is to prepare Ca , P and Si ‐containing ternary oxide nagelschmidtite ( NAGEL , Ca 7 Si 2 P 2 O 16 ) bioceramics and explore their in vitro bioactivity for potential bone tissue regeneration. We prepared dense NAGEL ceramics through high‐temperature sintering of NAGEL ceramic powders. The apatite‐mineralization ability, dissolution rate, and human osteoblast response (including cytotoxicity analysis, attachment, morphology, proliferation, and bone‐related gene expression) to NAGEL ceramics have been systematically studied by comparing with conventional β‐tricalcium phosphate (β‐ TCP ) ceramics. The results showed that NAGEL ceramics possessed more obvious apatite mineralization and dissolution (degradation) and stimulated bone‐related gene expression ( OCN and OPN ) of osteoblasts than β‐ TCP ceramics. NAGEL ceramics also showed no significant cytotoxicity. NAGEL ceramics supported osteoblast attachment, proliferation, and osteogenic gene expression, with a comparable cell proliferation activity with β‐ TCP ceramics. These results indicate that novel NAGEL bioceramics with the specific composition of Ca 7 Si 2 P 2 O 16 , are a promising biomaterial for bone tissue regeneration application.