First principles study of the physical properties of pure and doped calcium phosphate biomaterial for tissue engineering

Abstract

Calcium phosphate biomaterials are under extensive study owing to their excellent biocompatibility and identical chemical composition to natural teeth and bones. Calcium phosphate compounds can be used in tissue engineering (TE) as a good alternative to biocompatible ceramics to fabricate scaffolds to accommodate and lead to the growth of living cells and tissue reformation in three dimensions. Tricalcium phosphate (TCP) and hydroxyapatite (HA) bioceramics can be used in TE to increase bone reformation by employing strategies to encourage adhesion, endogenous osteoblast, osteoinduction, and osteoconduction by growth factors. However, due to defects in mechanical strength of existing scaffolds, which are manufactured using undoped TCP and HA materials in three dimensions for TE, they show a lower efficiency than optimal for real clinical applications. A theoretical overview about the mechanical properties and doping with some trace elements such as zinc, magnesium, strontium, and silicon is also given. We explore the future prospects of said compounds and expected revolutionary effects in TE applications.