Bone screws of porous silicon carbide coated with tantalum improve osseointegration and osteogenesis in goat femoral neck fractures.

Traditional metal materials, such as stainless steel and titanium (Ti) alloys, are still the gold standards for fracture fixation. However, the elastic moduli of these materials differ from that of human cortical bone, and the stress shielding effect affects fracture healing, leading to secondary fractures. Herein, a new porous Ta coated SiC (pTa-SiC) scaffold using in internal fixation devices with good mechanical and biological properties was prepared based on porous silicon carbide (SiC) scaffold and tantalum (Ta) metal. The osteogenic and osseointegration properties of the pTa-SiC scaffold were investigated by bothin vitroandin vivotests. The results showed that compared with porous titanium (pTi), the pTa-SiC promoted the proliferation, migration, and osteogenic differentiation of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells. Moreover, the internal fixation tests were carried out in a goat load-bearing femoral neck fracture model. Histological results showed good osseointegration around the pTa-SiC screws. And the acid etching results showed that bone cells grew tightly on the pTa-SiC throughout bone canaliculi, and the growth mode was contact osteogenesis, which indicated good biological fixation effects. Therefore, it is reasonable to be expected that the new pTa-SiC scaffold with excellent mechanical and biological properties could be a promising candidate for bone implant field.

Photothermal treatment of oropharyngeal cancer with carbon-defective silicon carbide.

Oral squamous carcinoma (OSCC) is a clinical common tumor with high recurrence rate and low 5 year survival rate. In this work, photothermal antitumor treatment has been performed to treat OSCC by taking anti-wound infection into consideration. By introducing C defects, we have successfully converted the semi-conductive SiC into metallic carbon-defective silicon carbide (SiC1-x), and endowed it with the near infrared absorption property for photothermal therapy (PTT). The results revealed that SiC1-x mediated PTT treatment could remove solid OSCC tumor in a biosafe way, showing low hematotoxicity, cytotoxicity and tissue toxicity. Moreover, the low invasion of PTT treatment could not only prevent the invasion of bacteria, but also realize an antibacterial effect on the wound, both of which are important for oral surgery. SiC1-x could be excreted from the body post treatment, which thus reduces the long-term potential toxicity. On the whole, this study provided a promising way to treat OSCC in an effective and safe way.

Biocompatibility between Silicon or Silicon Carbide surface and Neural Stem Cells.

Silicon has been widely used as a material for microelectronic for more than 60 years, attracting considerable scientific interest as a promising tool for the manufacture of implantable medical devices in the context of neurodegenerative diseases. However, the use of such material involves responsibilities due to its toxicity, and researchers are pushing towards the generation of new classes of composite semiconductors, including the Silicon Carbide (3C-SiC). In the present work, we tested the biocompatibility of Silicon and 3C-SiC using an in vitro model of human neuronal stem cells derived from dental pulp (DP-NSCs) and mouse Olfactory Ensheathing Cells (OECs), a particular glial cell type showing stem cell characteristics. Specifically, we investigated the effects of 3C-SiC on neural cell morphology, viability and mitochondrial membrane potential. Data showed that both DP-NSCs and OECs, cultured on 3C-SiC, did not undergo consistent oxidative stress events and did not exhibit morphological modifications or adverse reactions in mitochondrial membrane potential. Our findings highlight the possibility to use Neural Stem Cells plated on 3C-SiC substrate as clinical tool for lesioned neural areas, paving the way for future perspectives in novel cell therapies for neuro-degenerated patients.

Embryogenic Calli Explants and Silicon Carbide Whisker-Mediated Transformation of Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.).

Rapid growth in the genetic transformation of plants is the outcome of versatile transformation methods, explant nature, and media regimes. Modern biotechnologists have now a toolkit embraced with different plant transformation methods to generate specific and targeted genetic variation for performance improvement of crop plants. Genetic information are created by proper custom synthesis/amplification of DNA sequences from natural sources, modification during gene cloning, and choice of regulatory sequences and delivered to plants via different plant transformation techniques. Cotton is known by different names like king of fiber crops, white gold, etc., due to its socioeconomic involvement in society livelihood. So cotton is the host of several transgenes delivered for the purpose of trait development of improvement outcompeting its wild counterparts. At present most of the cotton adopted by farmers is biotech and contributes significantly in meeting farmers and industry demands. It is the versatile nature of cotton that it has been subjected to different genetic transformation methods to provide the breeders with an opportunity to develop alien traits or improve the endogenous gene performance that are very difficult or impossible to develop through conventional breeding methods. Landmark achievements were achieved by expanding explant choice such as calli as explants as it reduces the extent of labor, time, and effort and thereby becoming cost-effective cotton transformation. Cotton calli becomes differentiated into embryogenic and non-embryogenic which requires regular screening, keeping in view texture, color, and growth behavior. Here we describe the calli features which are peculiar in nature when used as explants in a novel physical way of cotton transformation with different genes by using embryogenic calli as continuous source of explants. The dawn of genome editing has opened another horizon in transformation research and development enhancing the scope of cotton transformation.

Magnetic Targeting, Tumor Microenvironment-Responsive Intelligent Nanocatalysts for Enhanced Tumor Ablation.

Therapeutic nanosystems which can be triggered by the distinctive tumor microenvironment possess great selectivity and safety to treat cancers via in situ transformation of nontoxic prodrugs into toxic therapeutic agents. Here, we constructed intelligent, magnetic targeting, and tumor microenvironment-responsive nanocatalysts that can acquire oxidation therapy of cancer via specific reaction at tumor site. The magnetic nanoparticle core of iron carbide-glucose oxidase (Fe5C2-GOD) achieved by physical absorption has a high enzyme payload, and the manganese dioxide (MnO2) nanoshell as an intelligent "gatekeeper" shields GOD from premature leaking until reaching tumor tissue. Fe5C2-GOD@MnO2 nanocatalysts maintained inactive in normal cells upon systemic administration. On the contrary, after endocytosis by tumor cells, tumor acidic microenvironment induced decomposition of MnO2 nanoshell into Mn2+ and O2, meanwhile releasing GOD. Mn2+ could serve as a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent for real-time monitoring treatment process. Then the generated O2 and released GOD in nanocatalysts could effectively exhaust glucose in tumor cells, simultaneously generating plenty of H2O2 which may accelerate the subsequent Fenton reaction catalyzed by the Fe5C2 magnetic core in mildly acidic tumor microenvironments. Finally, we demonstrated the tumor site-specific production of highly toxic hydroxyl radicals for enhanced anticancer therapeutic efficacy while minimizing systemic toxicity in mice.

Uptake of ferromagnetic carbon-encapsulated metal nanoparticles in endothelial cells: influence of shear stress and endothelial activation.

AIM: Magnetic field guided drug targeting holds promise for more effective cancer treatment. Intravascular application of magnetic nanoparticles, however, bears the risk of potentially important, yet poorly understood side effects, such as off-target accumulation in endothelial cells. MATERIALS & METHODS: Here, we investigated the influence of shear stress (0-3.22 dyn/cm(2)), exposure time (5-30 min) and endothelial activation on the uptake of ferromagnetic carbon-encapsulated iron carbide nanomagnets into endothelial cells in an in vitro flow cell model. RESULTS: We found that even moderate shear stresses typically encountered in the venous system strongly reduce particle uptake compared with static conditions. Interestingly, a pronounced particle uptake was observed in inflamed endothelial cells. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the importance of relevant exposure scenarios accounting for physiological conditions when studying particle-cell interactions as, for example, shear stress and endothelial activation are major determinants of particle uptake. Such considerations are of particular importance with regard to successful translation of in vitro findings into (pre-)clinical end points.

Adsorption studies of the gram-negative bacteria onto nanostructured silicon carbide.

In this study, we demonstrated a significant adsorption of Pseudomonas putida bacteria onto aggregates of nanofibers (NFSiC) and nanorods (NRSiC) of silicon carbide (SiC) in aqueous suspensions. Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms were used to quantify adsorption affinities. It was found that adsorption of the bacteria strongly depended on the structure of the silicon carbide and the pH of the aqueous solution, which affected the isoelectric point of both the silicon carbide and the bacterial cells. The strongest affinity of bacteria was noted in the case of NRSiC aggregates. Affinity was inversely proportional to pH. Similarly, the adsorption of bacteria to the surface of the aggregates increased with decreasing pH. For NFSiC, the affinity of the bacteria for the surface of the aggregates was also inversely proportional to pH. However, adsorption increased at higher pH values. This discrepancy was explained by microscopic analysis, which showed that the bacterial cells were both adsorbed onto and trapped by NFSiC. The adsorption of bacteria onto a micrometric silicon carbide reference material was significantly smaller than adsorption onto nanostructured SiC.

Enhancement of cell ingrowth, proliferation, and early differentiation in a three-dimensional silicon carbide scaffold using low-intensity pulsed ultrasound.

Concerns over the use of autografts or allografts have necessitated the development of biomaterials for bone regeneration. Various studies have been performed to optimize the cultivation of osteogenic cells using osteoconductive porous scaffolds. The aim of this study was to evaluate the osteogenic efficiency of bone cell ingrowth, proliferation, and early differentiation in a silicon carbide (SiC) porous ceramic scaffold promoted with low-intensity pulsed ultrasound. MC3T3-E1 mouse preosteoblasts were seeded onto scaffolds and cultured for 4 and 7 days with daily of 20-min ultrasound treatment. The cells were evaluated for cell attachment, morphology, viability, ingrowth depth, volumetric proliferation, and early differentiation. After 4 and 7 days of culture and ultrasound exposure, the cell density was higher in the ultrasound-treated group compared with the sham-treated group on SiC scaffolds. The cell ingrowth depths inside the SiC scaffolds were 149.2±27.3 µm at 1 day, 310.1±12.6 µm for the ultrasound-treated group and 248.0±19.7 µm for the sham control at 4 days, and 359.6±18.5 µm for the ultrasound-treated group and 280.0±17.7 µm for the sham control at 7 days. They were significantly increased, that is, 25% (p=0.0029) and 28% (p=0.0008) increase, respectively, with ultrasound radiation force as compared with those in sham control at 4 and 7 days postseeding. The dsDNA contents were 583.5±19.1 ng/scaffold at 1 day, 2749.9±99.9 ng/scaffold for the ultrasound-treated group and 2514.9±114.7 ng/scaffold for the sham control at 4 days, and 3582.3±325.3 ng/scaffold for the ultrasound-treated group and 2825.7±134.3 ng/scaffold for the sham control at 7 days. There was a significant difference in the dsDNA content between the ultrasound- and sham-treated groups at 4 and 7 days. The ultrasound-treated group with the SiC construct showed a 9% (p=0.00029) and 27% (p=0.00017) increase in the average dsDNA content at 4 and 7 days over the sham control group, respectively. Alkaline phosphatase activity was significantly increased by the treatment of ultrasound at 4 (p=0.012) and 7 days (p=0.035). These results suggested that ultrasound treatment with low-intensity acoustic energy facilitated the cellular ingrowth and enhanced the proliferation and early differentiation of osteoblasts in SiC scaffolds.

The ß-SiC nanowires (~100 nm) induce apoptosis via oxidative stress in mouse osteoblastic cell line MC3T3-E1.

Silicon carbide (SiC), a compound of silicon and carbon, with chemical formula SiC, the beta modification ( ß-SiC), with a zinc blende crystal structure (similar to diamond), is formed at temperature below 1700°C. ß-SiC will be the most suitable ceramic material for the future hard tissue replacement, such as bone and tooth. The in vitro cytotoxicity of ß-SiC nanowires was investigated for the first time. Our results indicated that 100 nm long SiC nanowires could significantly induce the apoptosis in MC3T3-E1 cells, compared with 100 µm long SiC nanowires. And 100 nm long SiC nanowires increased oxidative stress in MC3T3-E1 cells, as determined by the concentrations of MDA (as a marker of lipid peroxidation) and 8-OHdG (indicator of oxidative DNA damage). Moreover, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was performed to evaluate the morphological changes of MC3T3-E1 cells. After treatment with 100 nm long SiC nanowires, the mitochondria were swelled and disintegrated, and the production of ATP and the total oxygen uptake were also decreased significantly. Therefore, ß-SiC nanowires may have limitations as medical material.

New bio-ceramization processes applied to vegetable hierarchical structures for bone regeneration: an experimental model in sheep.

Bone loss is still a major problem in orthopedics. The purpose of this experimental study is to evaluate the safety and regenerative potential of a new scaffold based on a bio-ceramization process for bone regeneration in long diaphyseal defects in a sheep model. The scaffold was obtained by transformation of wood pieces into porous biomorphic silicon carbide (BioSiC®). The process enabled the maintenance of the original wood microstructure, thus exhibiting hierarchically organized porosity and high mechanical strength. To improve cell adhesion and osseointegration, the external surface of the hollow cylinder was made more bioactive by electrodeposition of a uniform layer of collagen fibers that were mineralized with biomimetic hydroxyapatite, whereas the internal part was filled with a bio-hybrid HA/collagen composite. The final scaffold was then implanted in the metatarsus of 15 crossbred (Merinos-Sarda) adult sheep, divided into 3 groups: scaffold alone, scaffold with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) augmentation, and scaffold with bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) added during implantation. Radiological analysis was performed at 4, 8, 12 weeks, and 4 months, when animals were sacrificed for the final radiological, histological, and histomorphometric evaluation. In all tested treatments, these analyses highlighted the presence of newly formed bone at the bone scaffolds' interface. Although a lack of substantial effect of PRP was demonstrated, the scaffold+BMSC augmentation showed the highest value of bone-to-implant contact and new bone growth inside the scaffold. The findings of this study suggest the potential of bio-ceramization processes applied to vegetable hierarchical structures for the production of wood-derived bone scaffolds, and document a suitable augmentation procedure in enhancing bone regeneration, particularly when combined with BMSCs.

Cytocompatibility of bio-inspired silicon carbide ceramics.

Due to its good mechanical and biochemical properties and, also, because of its unique interconnected porosity, bio-inspired silicon carbide (bioSiC) can be considered as a promising material for biomedical applications, including controlled drug delivery devices and tissue engineering scaffolds. This innovative material is produced by molten-Si infiltration of carbon templates, obtained by controlled pyrolysis of vegetable precursors. The final SiC ceramic presents a porous-interconnected microstructure that mimics the natural hierarchical structure of bone tissue and allows the internal growth of tissue, as well as favors angiogenesis. In the present work, the in vitro cytocompatibility of the bio-inspired SiC ceramics obtained, in this case, from the tree sapelli (Entandrophragma cylindricum) was evaluated. The attachment, spreading, cytoskeleton organization, proliferation, and mineralization of the preosteoblastic cell line MC3T3-E1 were analyzed for up to 28 days of incubation by scanning electron microscopy, interferometric profilometry, confocal laser scanning microscopy, MTT assay, as well as red alizarin staining and quantification. Cells seeded onto these ceramics were able to attach, spread, and proliferate properly with the maintenance of the typical preosteoblastic morphology throughout the time of culture. A certain level of mineralization on the surface of the sapelli-based SiC ceramics is observed. These results demonstrated the cytocompatibility of this porous and hierarchical material.

Activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases cellular signal transduction pathway in mammalian cells induced by silicon carbide nanowires.

Because of emerging biomedical applications of nanoscale materials, the behavior of cells in contact with nanoscale materials must be better understood. SiC nanostructures constitute a new class of biomaterials and have potential in many applications. In this study, the cellular signal transduction processes and toxicity mechanisms of silicon carbide nanowires (SiCNWs) are investigated. The Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells in contact with SiCNWs have significantly lower reproduction rates and genomic instability which may be the upstream event of cell apoptosis. Expression of the phosphorylated form of the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) family including phosphorylated signal-regulated kinases (p-ERKs), phosphorylated c-Jun NH2-terminal kinases (p-JNKs), and phosphorylated p38-mitogen-activated protein kinases (p-p38) are observed at different time points during exposure to SiCNWs. Moreover, activation of the MAPKs family by phosphorylation which is an upstream event giving rise to expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is also observed. The specific inhibitors of the MAPKs family are found to restrain COX-2 high expression at some time points. Our results show that activation of the MAPKs cellular signaling pathway and over-expression of COX-2 are the main toxicity mechanisms in SiCNWs irritation.

Nanosilicon carbide/hydroxyapatite nanocomposites: structural, mechanical and in vitro cellular properties.

In this study, bioceramic nanocomposites were synthesized by sintering compacted bodies of hydroxyapatite (HA) mixed with 5 or 15 wt% nanosilicon carbide at 1,100 or 1,200 degrees C in a reducing atmosphere. Pure hydroxyapatite was also prepared for comparison. Phase compositions, structural and physical properties of the composites were studied using appropriate techniques. Some in vitro biological properties of the composites were also investigated by using newrat calvaria osteoblastic cells. X-ray diffraction analysis indicated that tricalcium phosphate (TCP) comprising negligible alpha-TCP and considerable beta-TCP were formed in composites during sintering meanwhile hydroxyapatite and silicon carbide (SiC) were also existed in the composition. Based on the results, that composite made of 5 wt% nanosilicon carbide exhibited higher bending strength, fracture toughness and bulk density than pure HA and composite with 15 wt% silicon carbide. The scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray analysis revealed that the addition of nanosilicon carbide suppressed the grain growth and yielded a feature of island-type clusters consisting of blistered calcium phosphate (HA and TCP) and SiC grains. Also, in this study, better proliferation rate and alkaline phosphatase activity were observed for the osteoblastic cells seeded on top of the composites compared to pure HA. Overall, the results indicated that the composite of 95 wt% hydroxyapatite and 5 wt% SiC exhibited better mechanical and biological properties than pure HA and further addition of SiC failed strength and toughness.

Human adipose-derived stem cells isolated from young and elderly women: their differentiation potential and scaffold interaction during in vitro osteoblastic differentiation.

BACKGROUND AIMS: Several authors have demonstrated that adipose tissue contains multipotent cells capable of differentiation into several lineages, including bone, cartilage and fat. METHODS: This study compared human adipose-derived stem cells (hASC) isolated from 26 female donors, under 35 and over 45 years old, showing differences in their cell numbers and proliferation, and evaluated their in vitro adipocytic and osteoblastic differentiation potential. RESULTS: The cellular yield of hASC from older donors was significantly greater than that from younger donors, whereas their clonogenic potential appeared slightly reduced. There were no significant discrepancies between hASC isolated from young and elderly women regarding their in vitro adipocytic differentiation, whereas the osteoblastic potential was significantly reduced by aging. We also assessed the influence of hydroxyapatite (HAP) and silicon carbide (SiC-PECVD) on hASC. Even when cultured on scaffolds, hASC from younger donors had better differentiation into osteoblast-like cells than hASC from older donors; their differentiation ability was up-regulated by the presence of HAP, whereas SiC-PECVD produced no significant effect on hASC osteoblastic differentiation. CONCLUSIONS: The large numbers of hASC resident in adipose tissue and their differentiation features suggest that they could be used for a successful bone regeneration process in vivo. We have shown that age does not seem to affect cell viability and in vitro adipocytic differentiation significantly, whereas it does affects osteoblastic differentiation, in the absence and presence of two-dimensional and three-dimensional scaffolds.

[Effects of silicon carbide on the cure depth, hardness and compressive strength of composite resin].

The hardness, compressive strength and cure depth are important indices of the composite resin. This investigation was made with regard to the effects of silicon carbide on the cure depth, hardness and compressive strength of the light-curing composite resin. Different amounts of silicon carbide were added to the light-curing composite resin, which accounted for 0 wt%, 1 wt%, 0.6 wt%, 0.3 wt%, 0.1 wt%, 0.05 wt% and 0.005 wt% of the composite resin, respectively. The hardness, compressive strength and cure depth of the six afore-mentioned groups of composite resin were measured by the vernier caliper, the vickers hardness tester and the tensile strength of machine, respectively. The results showed that silicon carbide improved the hardness and compressive strength of the light-curing composite resin,when the concentration was 0.05 wt%. And the cure depth was close to that of control.

Atomic force microscopy analysis of central nervous system cell morphology on silicon carbide and diamond substrates.

Brain machine interface (BMI) devices offer a platform that can be used to assist people with extreme disabilities, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Parkinson's disease. Silicon (Si) has been the material of choice used for the manufacture of BMI devices due to its mechanical strength, its electrical properties and multiple fabrication techniques; however, chronically implanted BMI devices have usually failed within months of implantation due to biocompatibility issues and the fact that Si does not withstand the harsh environment of the body. Single crystal cubic silicon carbide (3C-SiC) and nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) are semiconductor materials that have previously shown good biocompatibility with skin and bone cells. Like Si, these materials have excellent physical characteristics, good electrical properties, but unlike Si, they are chemically inert. We have performed a study to evaluate the general biocompatibility levels of all of these materials through the use of in vitro techniques. H4 human neuroglioma and PC12 rat pheochromocytoma cell lines were used for the study, and polystyrene (PSt) and amorphous glass were used as controls or for morphological comparison. MTT [3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-Yl)-2,5-Diphenyltetrazolium Bromide] assays were performed to determine general cell viability with each substrate and atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to quantify the general cell morphology on the substrate surface along with the substrate permissiveness to lamellipodia extension. 3C-SiC was the only substrate tested to have good viability and superior lamellipodia permissiveness with both cell lines, while NCD showed a good level of viability with the neural H4 line but a poor viability with the PC12 line and lower permissiveness than 3C-SiC. Explanations pertaining to the performance of each substrate with both cell lines are presented and discussed along with future work that must be performed to further evaluate specific cell reactions on these substrates.

Silicon carbide coating of nitinol stents to increase antithrombogenic properties and reduce nickel release.

BACKGROUND: The use of stents in the superficial femoral artery is still limited by the number of restenoses. Influencing factors include thrombus formation and smooth muscle cell proliferation as well as motion stress. A reduction of thrombogenicity can be achieved by passive coating with silicon carbide, which induces less thrombus formation due to its semiconducting properties. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Self-expanding peripheral stents with and without silicon carbide coating were examined in a chandler loop model. Assessed parameters included thrombocyte count, beta-thromboglobulin (TG), thrombin-antithrombin (TAT) III complex, and polymorphonuclear elastase. Nickel release was quantified at Days 1, 3, and 223 using graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. To visualize thrombus formation on the surface, scanning electron microscopy was conducted. RESULTS: The tests showed a superiority of the coated stents regarding beta-TG (484.0+/-180.2 IU/l vs 2189.1+/-898.9 IU/l) as well as formation of TAT III complex (16.0+/-19.1 microg/l vs 458.3+/-761.0 microg/l). Scanning electron microscopy revealed a nearly absent thrombus formation on the coating. Nickel release was reduced by more than 90% at all time points. CONCLUSIONS: In the provided in vitro setting, silicon carbide coating applied to self-expanding peripheral stents showed an advantage regarding thrombogenicity. The passive barrier resulted in a limited release of nickel from the alloy itself. These features seem promising for the use in the peripheral vasculature.

Papaya (Carica papaya L.).

Transgenic papaya plants were initially obtained using particle bombardment, a method having poor efficiency in producing intact, single-copy insertion of transgenes. Single-copy gene insertion was improved using Agrobacterium tumefaciens. With progress being made in genome sequencing and gene discovery, there is a need for more efficient methods of transformation in order to study the function of these genes. We describe a protocol for Agrobacterium-mediated transformation using carborundum-wounded papaya embryogenic calli. This method should lead to high-throughput transformation, which on average produced at least one plant that was positive in polymerase chain reaction (PCR), histochemical staining, or by Southern blot hybridization from 10 to 20% of the callus clusters that had been co-cultivated with Agrobacterium. Plants regenerated from the callus clusters in 9 to 13 mo.

Behaviour of MG-63 osteoblast-like cells on wood-based biomorphic SiC ceramics coated with bioactive glass.

The aim of this study was to test the in vitro cytotoxicity of wood-based biomorphic Silicon Carbide (SiC) ceramics coated with bioactive glass, using MG-63 human osteoblast-like cells, with a view to their application in bone implantology. To better understand the scope of this study, it should be taken into account that biomorphic SiC ceramics have only recently been developed and this innovative product has important properties such as interconnected porosity, high strength and toughness, and easy shaping. In the solvent extraction test, all the extracts had almost no effect on cellular activity even at 100% concentration, and cells incubated in the bioactive glass-coated SiC ceramics extracts showed a proliferation rate similar to that of the Thermanox control. There were no significant differences when the cellular attachment response of the cells on the wood-based biomorphic SiC ceramics, uncoated or coated with bioactive glass, was compared to the one exhibited by reference materials like Ti6Al4V and bulk bioactive glass. This fact looks very promising for biomedical applications.

Mechanism of the Na,K-ATPase inhibition by MCS derivatives.

The previously reported class of potent inorganic inhibitors of Na,K-ATPase, named MCS factors, was shown to inhibit not only Na,K-ATPase but several P-type ATPases with high potency in the sub-micromolar range. These MCS factors were found to bind to the intracellular side of the Na, K-ATPase. The inhibition is not competitive with ouabain binding, thus excluding its role as cardiac-steroid-like inhibitor of the Na,K-ATPase. The mechanism of inhibition of Na,K-ATPase was investigated with the fluorescent styryl dye RH421, a dye known to report changes of local electric fields in the membrane dielectric. MCS factors interact with the Na,K-ATPase in the E(1) conformation of the ion pump and induce a conformational rearrangement that causes a change of the equilibrium dissociation constant for one of the first two intracellular cation binding sites. The MCS-inhibited state was found to have bound one cation (H(+), Na(+) or K(+)) in one of the two unspecific binding sites, and at high Na(+) concentrations another Na(+) ion was bound to the highly Na(+)-selective ion-binding site.