As shown in Fig. 12, HA/SBF sample showed a very intense phosphate band centered at 1017 cm−1 with shoulders at 1104 cm−1 and 960 cm−1. These bands are characteristics of PO43− and HPO42− in calcium deficient HA. Carbonate bands at 872 cm−1, 1416 cm−1, 1440 cm−1 and 1478 cm−1 indicated that a carbonated HA was precipitated onto the disc surface.

The 1592 cm−1 band was characteristic for water associated with HA [29]. FTIRM-ATR spectrum of HA + BSA/SBF, Fig. 13, presented LY2109761 concentration phosphate band centered at 1019 cm−1 with shoulders at 1099 cm−1 and 958 cm−1. These bands were assigned to PO43− and HPO42− in calcium deficient HA. The carbonate bands were also present at 872 cm−1 and 1419 cm−1, with small bands at 1445 cm−1 and 1478 cm−1, confirming that n-BSA layer onto HA surface was also capable to induce a carbonated apatite coating onto the disc surface. Albumin was strongly adsorbed on HA surface and remained bounded to the surface up to 7 days of immersion in n-SBF. The BSA binding affinity to HA surface decreased with the increase of phosphate buffer concentration. No Anti-cancer Compound Library solubility dmso significant change in BSA adsorption was verified when the experiment was performed

in the 0.01 M acetate buffer concentration. The BSA sorption onto HA surface, even for low BSA concentration, did not follow a Langmuir behavior that involves the formation of a monolayer of non-interacting proteins. The occurrence of Langmuir–Freundlich mechanisms for all protein concentrations indicated the existence of strong cooperative protein–protein interactions on HA surface. These strong interactions enhanced the formation of protein aggregates on HA surface as could be verified by AFM analyses. The GIXRD analysis combined with FTIRM-ATR spectroscopy showed that BSA coating promoted the precipitation of a poorly crystalline

carbonated hydroxyapatite on HA surface with preferential crystal growth along apatite c axis direction. However, the in vitro bioactivity of HA surface coated with BSA was reduced in comparison to the uncoated surface. Racecadotril The explanation for this reduction was based in the proposal that the new apatite layer was formed by two contributions: the precipitation of calcium and phosphorus from SBF and the dissolution of the apatite surface. When the protein layer was bound to the HA surface the second contribution was reduced, leading to a decrease of the calcium phosphate precipitation. The authors would like to thank CNPq and FAPERJ for the financial support, Marcia Sader and Prof. Gloria A. Soares (Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering/COPPE/UFRJ) and Valeria C. A. Moraes (Brazilian Center for Physical Research) for SEM and XRD analyses.