Biodegradation of porous alpha-tricalcium phosphate coated with sericin

Abstract

Porous a-tricalcium phosphate (α-TCP) is expected as a candidate of novel bioresorbable ceramics in orthopaedic field, since it can be easily fabricated through sintering of β-TCP by conventional process at high temperature. However, solubility of α-TCP is much higher than that of β-TCP, and α-TCP is therefore liable to be dissolved much faster than bone repair. In this study, we investigated biodegradation of porous α-TCP coated with sericin in vivo. Bone repair at the defect made in rabbit tibia was nearly completed for 4 weeks when α-TCP coated with sericin was implanted.