Effects of synthetic calcium phosphates on the 3H-thymidine incorporation and alkaline phosphatase activity of human fibroblasts in culture.

Gingival fibroblasts were cultured with four different calcium phosphate minerals (hydroxyapatite, whitlockite, beta-tricalcium phosphate, and octocalcium phosphate). 3H-thymidine incorporation into DNA and alkaline phosphatase specific activity were determined after different incubation periods. As a consequence of the phagocytosis of calcium phosphates crystals, we pointed out, compared to control, a stimulation of the rate of 3H-thymidine incorporation and sharp decreases in alkaline phosphatase activity. The magnitude of the alkaline phosphatase activity inhibition was observed to be increased with the solubility of the materials. We propose that the effects of calcium phosphates on alkaline phosphatase and 3H-thymidine incorporation could be calcium-mediated events, resulting from intracellular dissolution of phagocytized materials. We suggest that in vitro determination of 3H-thymidine incorporation and alkaline phosphatase activity, which are highly sensitive tests, could be involved in evaluation procedures of calcium phosphates biomaterials.