Signaling Pathways of Immobilized FGF-2 on Silicon-Substituted Hydroxyapatite

Therapeutic strategies for bone regeneration involve the selection of suitable biomaterials, growth factors, and cell types to mimic the cellular microenvironment where molecular and mechanical signals control the reconstruction of bone tissue. The immobilization of basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF‐2) on powdered silicon‐substituted hydroxyapatite (Si‐HA) allows to prepare a biofunctional biomaterial able to interact with bone cells in a very specific way. The biological activity of FGF‐2/Si‐HA, evaluated in Saos‐2 osteoblasts and MC3T3‐E1 preosteoblasts through the PLCγ and MAPK/ERK signal transduction pathways, shows that FGF‐2 immobilized on Si‐HA provides the right signals to cells stimulating crucial intracellular mechanisms of osteoblast proliferation and differentiation. Effective strategies for regenerating damaged tissues require a combination of biological macromolecules, biomaterials, and cells to mimic the cellular microenvironment where specific signals control the healing process. Immobilized FGF‐2 on Si‐HA interacts with bone cells, stimulating crucial signaling mechanisms as PLCγ and MAPK/ERK pathways in Saos‐2 osteoblasts and MC3T3‐E1 preosteoblasts.