Oxidation-responsive, settable bone substitute composites for regenerating critically-sized bone defects.

Critically-sized bone defects that cannot spontaneously heal on their own remain a significant problem in the clinic. Synthetic polymeric implants are promising therapies for improving bone healing as they are highly tunable and avoid the potential complications associated with autologous bone grafts. However, biostable implants such as poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) suffer from numerous shortcomings including negligible biodegradability and limited osseointegration with bone.

Incorporating the Antioxidant Fullerenol into Calcium Phosphate Bone Cements Increases Cellular Osteogenesis without Compromising Physical Cement Characteristics.

Herein, fullerenol (Ful), a highly water-soluble derivative of C fullerene with demonstrated antioxidant activity, is incorporated into calcium phosphate cements (CPCs) to enhance their osteogenic ability. CPCs with added carboxymethyl cellulose/gelatin (CMC/Gel) are doped with biocompatible Ful particles at concentrations of 0.02, 0.