Compositions comprising citrate and applications thereof

1. A method of promoting bone growth comprising:

(1) providing an amount of a first citrate-presenting composition to a population of bone cells at a first stage of cell development selected to obtain a first cell differentiation or phenotype progression; and

(2) providing an amount of a second citrate-presenting composition to the population of bone cells at a second stage of cell development selected to obtain a second cell differentiation or phenotype progression;

wherein the amount of second citrate-presenting composition provided in step (2) is in addition to the amount of the first citrate-presenting composition provided in step (1); wherein the first citrate-presenting composition comprises a polymer or oligomer comprising a citrate moiety; and

wherein both the first and second citrate-presenting compositions are provided to the population of bone cells in the form of an aqueous mixture or solution.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first citrate-presenting composition promotes osteoblast phenotype progression in the population of bone cells.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the bone cells comprise bone stem cells.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the bone cells are in vitro.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first citrate-presenting composition comprises citric acid or aqueous citrate.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising releasing citrate from the polymer or oligomer by degrading the polymer or oligomer.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein degrading the polymer or oligomer comprises hydrolyzing an ester bond of the polymer or oligomer.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first citrate-presenting composition comprises a polymer or oligomer having the structure of Formula (I):

wherein

R 1 is —H, —OC(O)NH , or ;

represents an additional chain of repeating units having the structure of Formula (I); and

m, n, and p are 8; and

q is 6.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first citrate-presenting composition comprises a polymer or oligomer having the structure of Formula (II):

wherein

R 2 is —H or ;

represents an additional chain of repeating units having the structure of Formula (II); and

m, n, and p are 8.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first citrate-presenting composition comprises:

a first polymer or oligomer having the structure of Formula (I)

wherein

R 1 is —H, —OC(O)NH , or ;

represents an additional chain of repeating units having the structure of Formula (I); and

m, n, and p are 8; and

q is 6; and

a second polymer or oligomer having the structure of Formula (II):

wherein

R 2 is —H or ;

represents an additional chain of repeating units having the structure of Formula (II); and

m, n, and p are 8,

wherein the first polymer or oligomer is blended with the second polymer or oligomer.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first polymer or oligomer and the second polymer or oligomer are cross linked with one another to form a polymer network.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising a particulate material dispersed in the polymer network, the particulate material comprising one or more of hydroxyapatite, tricalcium phosphate, biphasic calcium phosphate, bioglass, ceramic, magnesium powder, magnesium alloy, and decellularized bone tissue particles.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a biological factor to the bone cells.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the biological factor comprises BMP-2.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first citrate-presenting composition and the second citrate-presenting composition have the same composition.