Hydroxyapatite extracted from fish scale: Effects on MG63 osteoblast-like cells

In recent years, environmental and economic conditions have raised concerns about the treatment and use of bio-waste. This study analyzed hydroxyapatite extracted from fish scale (FHAP) by enzymatic hydrolysis. The structures of FHAP were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, particle size analyzer, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and energy dispersive spectrometry. The analytical results indicated that FHAP consisted of nano-sized particles with Ca/P ratio of 1.76. After FHAP particles were sintered at 800°C for 4 h, the particles showed increased porosity and surface roughness. The influence of FHAP particles on the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of MG63 cells was also investigated. Compared with hydroxyapatite from Sigma (SHAP), FHAP significantly increased MG63 growth, whether hydroxyapatite powders were sintered or not. Under osteogenic-inductive culture condition, FHAP particles promoted osteogenic differentiation and mineralization of MG63 cells, which was confirmed by alkaline phosphate assay and von Kossa staining. This study confirms that FHAP extracted by enzymatic hydrolysis is a promising biomaterial for artificial bone fabrication.