Slipper Limpet (<i>Crepidula fornicata)</i> Shells Support In Vitro Osteogenesis of Human Adipose-Derived Stem Cells
2023
Arianna De Mori | Umoru Junior Alasa | Alex Mühlhölzl | Gordon Blunn
This study aimed to investigate a cost-effective alternative to man-made calcium phosphate ceramics for treating bone defects. The slipper limpet is an invasive species in European coastal waters, and its shells composed of calcium carbonate could potentially be a cost-effective source of bone graft substitutes. This research analyzed the mantle of the slipper limpet (<i>Crepidula fornicata)</i> shells to enhance in vitro bone formation. Discs machined from the mantle of <i>C. fornicata</i> were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), X-ray crystallography (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and profilometry. Calcium release and bioactivity were also studied. Cell attachment, proliferation, and osteoblastic differentiation (RT-qPCR and alkaline phosphatase activity) were measured in human adipose-derived stem cells grown on the mantle surface. The mantle material was mainly composed of aragonite and showed a sustained Ca<sup>2+</sup> release at physiological pH. In addition, apatite formation was observed in simulated body fluid after three weeks, and the materials supported osteoblastic differentiation. Overall, our findings suggest the mantle of <i>C. fornicata</i> shows potential as a material for fabricating bone graft substitutes and structural biomaterials for bone regeneration.
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