Collagen-based hydrogel functionalized with rhBMP-2

The study showed the cytocompatibility, matrix, and osteoinductive properties of collagen-fibronectin hydrogel impregnated with rhBMP-2. After 7 days of MSCs incubated with osteoplastic material the cell viability was 93.4 - 3.6%. Expression of osteoblast-related genes after 14 days was increased by 1.4-4.8 times. Furthermore alkaline phosphatase activity and calcium ion quantity in cell lysates were increased by 2 and 2.7 times. It was accompanied by extracellular matrix mineralization. The results indicate that rhBMP-2 fully retains its activity inside the collagen-based material. The use of rhBMP-2 at a concentration of 1 μg/ml was ineffective and unable to induce osteogenic differentiation of MSCs. An effective osteoinductive concentration of rhBMP-2 was determined as 10 μg/ml. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd.