An MA-film platform designed for high-throughput synthesis of calcium phosphates screening amino acid on collagen film

Background Calcium phosphate is recognized as the primary inorganic mineral component found in rigid biological tissues; its deposition within living organisms is regulated by organic matrices such as collagen and amino acids. Previous research has mainly relied on trial-and-error methods, which are often time-consuming and resource-intensive. To address this, there now exists a pressing need for more efficient approaches, to systematically explore the contributions of various organic molecules such as amino acids and collagen governing the mechanisms of calcium phosphate synthesization and mineralization. Results We designed an MA-Film platform with on-film high-throughput synthesis and screening functions. By establishing a concentration gradient of the pertinent reagent inside the platform, a series of desired products could be rapidly synthesized on the selected film. We utilized the platform to perform the biomimetic synthesis of calcium phosphates on type I collagen films. The collagen film was deposited onto the platform's silicon chip through spin-coating while concentration gradients of aspartic acid (Asp), glycine (Gly), and lysine (Lys) were generated to observe the influence of amino acids on the formation of calcium phosphate. The results indicated that the presence of carboxyl and carbonyl groups within collagen molecules would create potential nucleation sites for crystal formation, and the morphology and crystal structure of the calcium phosphates were strongly influenced by the properties and concentrations of amino acids. Significance The designed MA-Film platform provides a highly efficient, rapid, and user-friendly approach for biomimetic mineralization research by conducting 36 synthetic experiments in parallel on specific thin films through the construction of target reagent concentration gradients. And as a general-purpose tool, the platform is expected to facilitate high-throughput screening and synthesis studies across diverse materials.