Effect of mixing ceramics with a thermosensitive biodegradable hydrogel as composite graft

The composite of methoxy polyethylene glycol (mPEG) and poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) thermosensitive hydrogel mixed with various portions of hydroxyapatite (HAP) or β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) were used as bone graft substitutes. The physical properties of a series of composite gels, including the critical micelle concentration (CMC), particle sizes, zeta potential, rheological behavior, morphology of composite gels, and sol–gel transition, were characterized in vitro. These composite gels could form a gel at body temperature and could be controlled easily at room temperature, but showed only a small decline in pH, to between 6.33 and 6.66, whereas mPEG–PLGA gel without ceramic exhibited a more significant decrease in pH over a period of 5 days. The dissolution of ceramics results in an increase in the concentration of calcium and phosphate, which can buffer the degradation of mPEG–PLGA. Higher cell viability was observed in the composite gels with more bioceramics, as shown in the MTT assay and the live and dead stain. Mixing mPEG–PLGA with HAP or β-TCP may hold greater promise than mPEG–PLGA alone for repairing bone defects.