生物陶瓷微颗粒引发的细胞和组织损害

为论证生物陶瓷烧结不完全形成的微颗粒（〈5μm）引发细胞和组织损害的假设，对该类颗粒在体内和体外的细胞和组织损害进行了研究：（1）对4种双相生物陶瓷（BCP）进行细胞毒性试验。试验发现所有的浸出液出现细胞毒性，但是浸出液经离心后，毒性消失；（2）对羟基磷灰石（HA）、p磷酸三钙（pTCP）和40％pTCP／60％HA混合物微颗粒进行细胞抑制实验。结果显示随着微颗粒的浓度增加，成纤维细胞活力下降；而当微颗粒浓度达到一万个／细胞时，细胞活力和增殖能力完全消失；（3）HA，pTCP和BCP陶瓷颗粒（500-1500um）被植入到兔子股骨远端，种植12周后β-TCP的降解率为40％，BCP为5％，但是HA接近不降解。新骨形成在β-TCP（21％）和HA（18％）比BCP（12％）更为明显。同时BCP颗粒的周围有很多的微颗粒形成，可见吞噬细胞吞噬微颗粒，形成吞噬体。以上结果提示，微颗粒可能是局部炎症和细胞损害的首要原因，而且有可能影响骨形成。因此，我们必须注意生物陶瓷烧结的重要性，它们的烧结不良就可形成微颗粒，引发细胞和组织的损害。特别是BCP陶瓷含有两种需要不同烧结温度的粉体，它的烧结难度较高，很易形成微颗粒。     

Transformation of biphasic calcium phosphate ceramics in vivo: ultrastructural and physicochemical characterization

Specially prepared biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) macroporous ceramics consisting of an intimate association of beta tricalcium phosphate (beta-TCP) and hydroxyapatite (HA) with beta-TCP/HA weight ratios of 15/85, 35/65, and 85/15 were implanted in surgically created periodontal osseous defects in dogs and recovered after 6 months. A decrease in average size of crystals in BCP ceramics and an increase in the size of microporosities in the surface and at the core of the ceramic after implantation were observed, indicating that in vivo dissolution has taken place. The resorbability (reflecting in vivo dissolution) of BCP ceramics depended on their beta-TCP/HA ratios, the higher the ratio, the greater the resorbability. The formation of microcrystals with crystallographic properties and Ca/P ratio similar to those of bone apatite crystals were also observed. The abundance of these crystals were directly related to the beta-TCP/HA ratio of the BCP ceramic before implantation. The formation of the bone apatite-like crystals may be due to the precipitation of calcium and phosphate ions released from the dissolving ceramic crystals (the beta-TCP component dissolving preferentially to the HA component). Results from this study suggested that one of the means of controlling resorbability (in vivo dissolution) of BCP ceramic is by varying its beta-TCP/HA ratio.     

Sol-gel synthesis and characterization of macroporous calcium phosphate bioceramics containing microporosity

Amorphous calcium phosphate powders were precipitated from calcium metal and phosphoric acid in ethanol. Depending on the quantity of reagent, the CaP powders had different chemical compositions and, after heating, formed beta-tricalcium phosphate (beta-TCP), hydroxyapatite (HA) or BCP mixtures. Dilatometric measurements indicated that shrinkage of compacted CaP powders occurred first at around 650 degrees C and continued up to 1200 degrees C. The amorphous CaP powders were mixed with urea beads, compacted under isostatic pressure at 140 MPa and sintered at 1100 degrees C for 5 h. Scanning electron microscopy indicated that macro-microporous ceramics were produced. The ceramics had spherical macropores of 700-1200 microm in diameter, with limited interconnections and a macroporosity of 42% as determined by microcomputed tomography. The micropores ranged from 0.1 to 1 microm in diameter. These ceramics made of HA, beta-TCP or BCP exhibiting both macroporosity and microporosity can be used as bone fillers.     

Material-dependent bone induction by calcium phosphate ceramics: a 2.5-year study in dog

Bone induction by different calcium phosphate biomaterials has been reported previously. With regard to (1) whether the induced bone would disappear with time due to the absence of mechanical stresses and (2) whether this heterotopically formed bone would give rise to uncontrolled growth, a long-time investigation of porous hydroxyapatite ceramic (HA), porous biphasic calcium phosphate ceramic (TCP/HA, BCP), porous alpha-tricalcium phosphate ceramic (alpha-TCP) and porous beta-tricalcium phosphate ceramic (beta-TCP) was performed in dorsal muscles of dog, for 2.5 years. Histological observation, backscattered scanning electron microscopy observation and histomorphometric analysis were made on thin un-decalcified sections of retrieved samples. Normal compact bone with bone marrow was found in all HA implants (n = 4) and in all BCP implants (n = 4), 48 +/- 4% pore area was filled with bone in HA implants and 41 +/- 2% in BCP implants. Bone-like tissue, which was a mineralised bone matrix with osteocytes but lacked osteoblasts and bone marrow, was found in all beta-TCP implants (n = 4) and in one of the four alpha-TCP implants. Both normal bone and bone-like tissues were confined inside the pores of the implants. The results show that calcium phosphate ceramics are osteoinductive in muscles of dogs. Although the quality and quantity varied among different ceramics, the induced bone in both HA and BCP ceramics did neither disappear nor grow uncontrollably during the period as long as 2.5 years.     

Osteoblast-like cell proliferation on tape-cast and sintered tricalcium phosphate sheets

The influence of sintering temperature on the in vitro proliferation of osteoblast-like cells to sintered tricalcium phosphate (TCP) sheets prepared by tape-casting was investigated. Green sheets of tape-cast beta-TCP were sintered for 2h in a furnace at atmospheric pressure at five different sintering temperatures: 900, 1000, 1100, 1150 and 1200 degrees C. The number of osteoblast-like (MC3T3-E1) cells deposited onto TCP sheets was counted after cell cultivation for 1week and was found to have increased with increasing sintering temperature. The TCP sheets sintered at 900 degrees C exhibited a significantly lower cell number than TCP sheets sintered at 1000, 1100, 1150 and 1200 degrees C. In the attenuated total reflection infrared spectra, the peaks around 900-1150cm(-1), corresponding to the P-O vibration mode of the phosphate group, gradually decreased and shifted to lower wavenumbers with increasing sintering temperature. Meanwhile, the zeta potential of TCP sintered at 900 degrees C showed a highly negative charge when compared with the other groups. This would suggest that the higher solubility of the TCP sheets sintered at 900 degrees C exerted the higher negative charge obtained from zeta potential measurement. Within the limitations of this study, it was indicated that osteoblast-like cell proliferation increased with increasing sintering temperature. The biological stability of the sintered TCP sheet surface was considered to have affected cell proliferation.     

Removal of surface by-products from sintered hydroxyapatite: effect of a chelation treatment on fibronectin adsorption and cell adhesion

It was observed that fibronectin precipitates when deposited on hydroxyapatite (HA) ceramics. Fibronectin's known affinity for calcium and the composition of the ceramic itself suggested that calcium release could be the main cause of this aggregation effect. It was then decided to investigate the effect of a surface chelation treatment on fibronectin adsorption, and MG63 cell adhesion, onto porous ceramics of hydroxyapatite (HA), beta-tricalcium phosphate (beta-TCP), and HA/TCP biphasic material (BCP). Those ceramics were immersed in an EDTA solution and the effect of this treatment on the material composition was assayed. X-ray diffraction data showed the presence of alpha- and beta-TCP phases in HA and BCP materials, which were both completely removed by the chelation treatment in the case of HA. On BCP, alpha-TCP was removed and beta-TCP partially dissolved. The TCP material, which was pure beta-TCP, underwent a mass loss, but no change in composition was observed. Adhesion of MG63 cells was overall higher on the fibronectin-coated EDTA-treated HA material, but was especially enhanced on EDTA-treated HA. Changes in surface morphologies, as compared with the use of scanning electron microscopy, did not seem to be related to the effects observed. The EDTA treatment proved to be a very efficient way of removing by-products of HA sintered materials, and thus enhancing the biocompatibility of the material.     

A new in vivo screening model for posterior spinal bone formation: comparison of ten calcium phosphate ceramic material treatments

This study presents a new screening model for evaluating the influence of multiple conditions on the initial process of bone formation in the posterior lumbar spine of a large animal. This model uses cages designed for placement on the decorticated transverse process of the goat lumbar spine. Five conduction channels per cage, each be defined by a different material treatment, are open to both the underlying bone and overlying soft tissue. The model was validated in ten adult Dutch milk goats, with each animal implanted with two cages containing a total of ten calcium phosphate material treatments according to a randomized complete block design. The ten calcium phosphate ceramic materials were created through a combination of material chemistry (BCP, TCP, HA), sintering temperature (low, medium, high), calcination and surface roughness treatments. To monitor the bone formation over time, fluorochrome markers were administered at 3, 5 and 7 weeks and the animals were sacrificed at 9 weeks after implantation. Bone formation in the conduction channels was investigated by histology and histomorphometry of non-decalcified sections using traditional light and epifluorescent microscopy. According to both observed and measured bone formation parameters, materials were ranked in order of increasing magnitude as follows: low sintering temperature BCP (rough and smooth) approximately medium sintering temperature BCP approximately = TCP > calcined low sintering temperature HA > non-calcined low sintering temperature HA > high sintering temperature BCP (rough and smooth) > high sintering temperature HA (calcined and non-calcined). These results agree closely with those obtained in previous studies of osteoconduction and bioactivity of ceramics thereby validating the screening model presented in this study.     

An improvement in sintering property of beta-tricalcium phosphate by addition of calcium pyrophosphate.

The sintering behavior of calcium pyrophosphate (CPP, Ca2P2O7)-doped beta-tricalcium phosphate [TCP, Ca3(PO4)2], prepared by solid state reaction, was investigated in-situ, using dilatometry. Pure beta-TCP undergoes phase transition to alpha-TCP at about 1200 degrees C; hence pure beta-TCP ceramics should be sintered bclow 1200 degrees C. Pure beta-TCP sintered body can achieve a relative density of only 86% when sintered at 1150 degrees C. However, the addition of CPP in the range of 0.5-3 wt% delays phasc transition of beta-TCP and enables sintering of beta-TCP at 1200 degrees C without a phase transformation to alpha-TCP. Due to this effect of CPP added to TCP, CPP-doped beta-TCP ceramics with relative density over 95% could be obtained when sintered at 1200 degrees C for 2 h.     

Characterization and bioactivity of tape-cast and sintered TCP sheets

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of sintering temperature on in vivo and in vitro bioactivities of sintered tricalcium phosphate (TCP) sheets prepared by the tape casting technique. Green sheets of beta-TCP prepared by tape casting were sintered for 2 h in a furnace at atmospheric pressure, at five different sintering temperatures: 900, 1000, 1100, 1150, and 1200 degrees C. Measurement of X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry showed the presence of alpha-tricalcium phosphate phase in the TCP sheet sintered at 1200 degrees C, in addition to beta-TCP phase. As compared with the other sintered TCP sheet, the TCP sheet sintered at 1200 degrees C demonstrated a lower dissolution rate in phosphate buffered saline solution at 37 degrees C and pH 7.4 over 24 weeks, and more amount of apatite formation in Hanks' balanced salt solution with pH 7.4 was observed. After 4 weeks' implantation of sintered TCP sheets into tibial diaphyses of rabbits, the bone-sheet contact of the TCP sheet sintered at 1200 degrees C was significantly higher than that of the TCP sheet sintered at 900 degrees C. These results indicate that a flat sintered TCP sheet prepared by tape casting is a promising material for a bone substitute.     

A comparison of bone formation in biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) and hydroxyapatite (HA) implanted in muscle and bone of dogs at different time periods

Physicochemical modification could implement synthetic materials into osteoinductive materials, which induce bone formation in nonosseous tissues. We hereby studied the relevance between the osteogenic capacities of osteoinductive materials in nonosseous tissues and in osseous sites. Biphasic calcium phosphate ceramic (BCP) and hydroxyapatite ceramic (HA) were implanted in femoral muscles and femoral cortical bone of dogs for 7, 14, 21, 30, 45, 60, 90, 180, and 360 days, respectively. Two dogs were used in each time point. In each dog, four cylinders (phi5x6 mm) per material were implanted in femoral muscles and 2 cylinders (phi5x6 mm) per material in femoral cortical bone. The harvested samples were processed for both histological and histomorphometric analyses. Bone was observed in BCP implanted in femoral muscles since day 30, while in HA since day 45. Quantitatively, more bone was formed in BCP than in HA at each time point after day 30 (p<0.05). The earlier and more bone formed in BCP than in HA suggests BCP a higher osteoinductive potential than HA in muscle. In femoral cortical bone defects, a bridge of bone in the defect with BCP was observed at day 21, while with HA at day 30. At days 14, 21, and 30, significantly more bone was formed in BCP than in HA (p<0.05). The results herein show that osteogenic capacities of osteoinductive materials in nonosseous tissues and osseous sites are correlated: the higher the osteoinductive potential of the material, the faster the bone repair.     

Expression of core binding factor 1 and osteoblastic markers in C2C12 cells induced by calcium phosphate ceramics in vitro

The in vivo osteoinductive capacity of porous calcium phosphate ceramics (Ca/P ceramics) with special structure and phase composition had been found for almost decades. The mechanism of the osteoinductivity of porous calcium phosphate is studied by C2C12 cells culture in this paper. C2C12 cells were cocultured with four kinds of porous Ca/P ceramics for 2 and 5 days, without adding other growth factors. The four kinds of Ca/P ceramics were pure HA sintered at 1250 degrees C and HA/TCP with a ratio of 60/40 sintered at 1100, 1200, and 1250 degrees C respectively. RT-PCR analysis found that the Ca/P ceramics induced the expression of Cbfa1, collagen type I, bone sialoprotein, and osteocalcin in C2C12 cells, while they did not induce mRNA expression of Indian hedgehog (IHH) that regulate chondrocyte differentiation. Our results showed that Ca/P ceramics alone were sufficient to induce C2C12 cells differentiation. The induction of bone-related markers expression by Ca/P ceramics in osteoprogenitor cells suggested that the osteogenesis induced by the ceramics was intramembranous and the osteoinductivity was their intrinsic property.     

Osteogenic differentiation of human adipose-derived stem cells induced by osteoinductive calcium phosphate ceramics

Microstructure is indispensable for the osteoinduction of calcium phosphate ceramics. To study how microstructure takes its role and explore the mechanism of the osteoinduction, we evaluated attachment, proliferation, alkaline phosphatase (ALP)/DNA, protein/DNA, and mineralization of human adipose-derived stem cells cultured on two kinds of biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) ceramic discs with the same chemistry and dimension, but different microporosity and surface area. BCP-A had been found osteoinductive in vivo while BCP-B was not. During the conventional culture, ALP/DNA and protein/DNA of the cell on BCP-A with larger surface area were significantly higher than those of the cells on BCP-B. With the adsorption of the proteins in culture medium with 50% fetal bovine serum (FBS) in advance, the increments of the ALP/DNA and protein/DNA for the BCP-A were found respectively significantly more than the increments of those for BCP-B, suggesting that the larger amount of protein adsorbed on the BCP-A was crucial. More results showed that ALP/DNA and protein/DNA of the cells on the two kinds of discs presoaked in culture medium having additional rhBMP-2 were found to be both higher than those of the cells on the discs resoaked in culture medium with 50% FBS, and that those values for BCP-A increased much more. Furthermore, larger mineral content was found on BCP-A than on BCP-B at day 7. The results indicated that by increasing microporosity and thus surface areas, osteoinductive calcium phosphate ceramics concentrate more proteins, including bone-inducing proteins, and thereafter stimulate inducible cells in soft tissues to form inductive bone.     

Preparation and physical properties of tricalcium phosphate laminates for bone-tissue engineering

This article describes the processing and characterization of tricalcium phosphate (TCP) laminates fabricated by stacking individual TCP sheets for bone-tissue engineering. In particular, the influences of sintering temperature (900, 1000, 1100, or 1200 degrees C) on the physical properties of TCP laminates are discussed. After sintering the TCP laminates, we confirmed from the X-ray diffraction pattern that beta-TCP was transformed to alpha-TCP at a temperature between 1100 and 1200 degrees C. The Vickers hardness value increased with increasing sintering temperature, up to 1200 degrees C. Meanwhile, both flexural strength and modulus increased with increasing sintering temperature up to 1100 degrees C, but decreased massively when the laminates were sintered at 1200 degrees C. Additionally, field-emission scanning electron microscope observation after flexural test showed interlaminar delamination in the TCP laminates sintered at 1200 degrees C, whereas interlaminar delamination was not observed in TCP laminates sintered at 900, 1000, and 1100 degrees C. Accordingly, this explains the massive reduction in flexural properties at a sintering temperature of 1200 degrees C. The results of this investigation indicate that the physical properties of TCP laminates strongly depend upon the sintering temperatures, so that the choice of sintering temperature is an important factor for successful bone-tissue engineering applications of TCP laminates.     

Osteogenicity of biphasic calcium phosphate ceramics and bone autograft in a goat model

The aim of this work was to compare the osteogenicity of calcium phosphate ceramic granules with autologous bone graft in ectopic and orthotopic sites. Biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) granules composed of hydroxyapatite (HA) and beta-tricalcium phosphate (beta-TCP) in a 60/40 ratio were sintered at 1050, 1125 and 1200 degrees C, producing different microporosities. Either BCP ceramic granules or autologous bone chips (n=7) were implanted into paraspinal muscles. Osteoinduction was not observed in either the BCP implants or autologous bone chips after 6 or 12 weeks in the ectopic sites. Hollow and bored polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) cylinders were filled with autologous bone, BCP granules or left empty, then implanted into critical-sized defects in femoral epiphyses. The PTFE cylinders left empty contained marrow and blood vessels but not mineralized bone, indicating that this model prevented bone ingrowth (0.56+/-0.43% at 12 weeks). Bone formation was observed in contact with the BCP1050 and BCP1125 granules in the femoral sites after 6 weeks. The amount of bone after 12 weeks was 5.6+/-7.3 and 9.6+/-6.6% for BCP1050 and BCP1125, respectively. Very little bone formation was observed with the BCP1200 implants (1.5+/-1.3% at 12 weeks). In both the ectopic and orthotopic sites, autologous bone chips were drastically resorbed (from 19.4+/-3.7% initially to 1.7+/-1.2% at 12 weeks). This study shows that synthetic bone substitutes may have superior stability and osteogenic properties than autologous bone grafts in critical-sized bone defects.     

Osseointegration of 2 different types of calcium phosphate materials: ceramics and ionic cements

Different kinds of calcium phosphate biomaterials can be used as bone substitutes. Ceramics are constituted by HA or TCP grains linked by grain boundaries. Their porosity depends on the powder characteristics and the sintering temperature. It can be very low with a pore size inferior to one micron. The setting of calcium phosphate hydraulic cements results from the precipitation of a calcium phosphate phase different from the one in suspension in the paste. The strength of the cement is given by the entanglement of the growing mineral crystals. Calcium phosphate hydraulic cements and ceramics have very different physico-chemical characteristics. We have studied the histological integration of both kinds of material. The first material was constituted by macroporous ceramics composed of 75% HA and 25% beta-TCP, the cement was made of beta-TCP grains dispersed in a DCPD matrix. The sequence of events which leads to the ceramic integration is always the same: a/ ingrowth of a loose connective tissue; b/ osteoblast differentiation from fibroblast-like cells of the connective tissue in close proximity to the implant surface; c/ osteoid synthesis at the ceramic surface toward the pore center; d/ remodeling of the immature bone and the ceramic itself. The cement is differently integrated. The osteoblasts differentiate at some distance from the implant and there is a trabeculae ingrowth toward the material. CONCLUSIONS: The early stages of both materials osteointegration are different. The integration is centrifugal for ceramics and centripetal for the cement.     

The effect of calcium phosphate microstructure on bone-related cells in vitro

Microstructure is essential for inductive bone formation in calcium phosphate materials after soft tissue implantation. We hereby evaluated activities (cell attachment, proliferation, ALP/DNA and protein/DNA) of three types of cells cultured on three kinds of calcium phosphate ceramic discs to study how microstructure takes its role in inductive bone formation. Three kinds of biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) ceramic discs with the same chemistry and the same dimension of 10.0 x 1.0 mm3 (BCP1150-P, BCP1150-D and BCP1300), either having similar micropore sizes and surface roughness but different surface area (BCP1150-P vs BCP1150-D) or having similar surface area but different micropore sizes and different roughness (BCP1150-D vs BCP1300), were prepared. Conventionally Culturing C2C12, human bone marrow stromal cells (HBMSC) and MC3T3-E1 cells on BCP discs showed that, surface roughness did not affect cell attachment, cell proliferation and ALP expression of all cell types evaluated, while surface area did affect cell functions. ALP/DNA of C2C12 on BCP1150-P, having larger surface area, was significantly higher than on BCP1300 and BCP1150-D. Furthermore, all cells cultured on all of the three kinds of BCPs pre-soaked in culture medium having additional rhBMP-2 had a higher ALP expression than the conventional cell culture. Comparing with on BCP1300 and BCP1150-D, ALP/DNA of all cells tested increased more on BCP1150-P after the discs were pre-soaked in culture medium with rhBMP-2. The results indicated that increasing surface areas, microstructured calcium phosphate materials might concentrate more proteins (including bone-inducing proteins) that differentiate inducible cells to osteogenic cells that form inductive bone.     

Effect of nanostructure on osteoinduction of porous biphasic calcium phosphate ceramics

In order to evaluate the effect of the nanostructure of calcium phosphate ceramics on osteoinductive potential, porous biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) ceramics with a nano- or submicron structure were prepared via microwave sintering and compared to conventional BCP ceramics. The selective protein adsorption of bovine serum albumin and lysozyme (LSZ) and the osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells in vitro was investigated. Porous BCP nanoceramics showed higher ability to adsorb proteins, especially low molecular weight protein of LSZ, than conventional BCP ceramics, and the BCP nanoceramics promoted bone sialoprotein expression more than conventional BCP did. Further in vivo study to investigate ectopic bone formation and bone repair efficiency proved the highly osteoinductive potential of nanostructured BCP ceramics. The results suggest that nanostructured BCP ceramics have the potential to become a new generation of bioceramics for bone tissue engineering grafts.     

Magnesia-doped HA/beta-TCP ceramics and evaluation of their biocompatibility

The sintering behavior, mechanical properties and biocompatibility of magnesia (MgO)-doped HA/TCP biphasic ceramics were studied. Pure HA/TCP ceramics showed poor sinterability due to the phase transformation of beta- to alpha-TCP. MgO-doped HA/TCP ceramics showed high density without any phase transformation of beta-TCP up to 1300 degrees C, for MgO dopants incorporated into the beta-TCP preferably and increased thermal stability of beta-TCP. However, the addition of MgO higher than a critical content, suppressed grain growth of HA/TCP ceramics and lowered sinterability. The optimum amount of MgO doping was 1 wt%, which lead 99% relative density and higher mechanical properties than HA or beta-TCP ceramics. From in vitro test and in vivo test, 1 wt% MgO-doped HA/TCP ceramics showed a good biocompatibility without cytotoxicity. After implantation under the muscle of rabbits, beta-TCP phase was dissolved from the surface and a biological apatite covered the surface. These results proved that MgO addition increased drastically the sintering and mechanical properties of HA/beta-TCP ceramics without altering the biological safety and biocompatibility of the original composite.     

The biodegradation mechanism of calcium phosphate biomaterials in bone

This study was undertaken to understand the biodegradation mechanisms of calcium phosphate (Ca-P) biomaterials with different crystallization. Two types of sintered Ca-P porous ceramic (HA and beta-TCP) and a Ca-P bone cement (CPC) were implanted into cavities drilled in rabbit femoral and tibiae condyles. The results have shown that a material biodegradation was rapid in the beta-TCP and the CPC, but very weak in the HA. This biodegradation presented a decrease of material volume from the periphery to the center as well as a particle formation causing phagocytosis by numerous macrophages and multinucleated giant cells in the CPC. In the beta-TCP, there was a peripheral and central decrease of material volume as well as an absence of particle formation or visible phagocytosis. The process of biodegradation is considered to be directly influenced by the type of material crystallization. The sintered bioceramics processed at a high temperature exhibit good crystallization and are primarily degraded by a process dependent on interstitial liquids. However, the bone cement is formed by physicochemical crystallization and is degraded through a dissolution process associated with a cellular process.     

Crystallographic changes in calcium phosphates during plasma-spraying.

Coating hydroxyapatite (HA) onto metal implant surfaces using the plasma-spraying technique has been investigated in several laboratories as a means of improving the mechanical properties of the bulk ceramic. This study describes crystallographic changes which can occur during the plasma-spraying of calcium phosphate powders. A precipitated calcium-deficient apatite and a high temperature near-stoichiometric HA were each sprayed onto metal substrate in an argon plasma using several hydrogen gas flow conditions at various temperatures. The surfaces were examined by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The plasma-sprayed products were identified as a mixture of calcium phosphates including HA, beta-tricalcium phosphate (beta-TCP) and calcium oxide. Stoichiometric HA when plasma-sprayed showed the least (5%) degradation. Since beta-TCP is more resorbable than HA in vivo, varying the HA/beta-TCP ratio on the plasma-sprayed surface may provide a method to control surface dissolution of the coating.