Efficacy of platelet-rich plasma gel and hyaluronan hydrogel as carriers of electrically polarized hydroxyapatite microgranules for accelerating bone formation

The technology for electrical polarization and characterization of hydroxyapatite (HA) microgranules has been developed. This study aimed to examine and compare the efficacy of composites comprising electrically polarized HA (pHA) microgranules and platelet‐rich plasma (PRP) or hyaluronan (HAN) in osteoconductivity. Composites of HA microgranules with or without electrical polarization and either PRP or HAN (PRP+pHA, PRP+HA, HAN+pHA, and HAN+HA, respectively), as well as pHA and HA microgranules were implanted randomly into holes created in the medial femoral condyle or tibial tuberosity of rabbits. As a control, PRP or HAN gel alone was implanted, or the bone holes were left empty. Each group included six animals. After 6 weeks, histological examination was performed, and osteoclastic and osteoblastic cell activities were assessed by cell counting. Although PRP alone could not induce bone formation, PRP+pHA and PRP+HA composites, especially the former, activated osteogenic cells and enhanced bone formation. This effect was not prominent in the HAN+pHA and HAN+HA composites. PRP+HA composites formed a gel in which the ceramic particles were dispersed and entrapped in the fibrin network of PRP. It is assumed that these particles provide scaffolds for osteogenic cells, and when electrically polarized, can activate the cells in co‐operation with the positive effects of the PRP, resulting in enhanced bone formation. Conversely, it is conceivable that this composite gel cannot act as an accelerator for woven bone formation, because HAN with low viscoelasticity is absorbed rapidly after implantation, the hydrated network containing HA microgranules is destroyed, and the HA microgranules effuse with HAN from the bone hole. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 100A:3167–3176, 2012.