Biocompatibility and bone mineralization potential of 45S5 Bioglass super( registered )-derived glass-ceramic scaffolds in chick embryos

• Published in: Acta biomaterialia 2009-01, Vol.5 (1), p.374-380
• Main Authors: Vargas, Gabriela E, Mesones, Rosa Vera, Bretcanu, Oana, Lopez, Jose MPorto, Boccaccini, Aldo R, Gorustovich, Alejandro
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1742-7061
• DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2008.07.016

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the biocompatibility and bone mineralization potential of 45S5 Bioglass registered -derived glass-ceramic scaffolds using a chick embryo shell-less (ex ovo) culture system. Chick embryos were divided into two groups: control (C) and experimental (E). Scaffolds were placed on the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) in embryos of group E at 10 days of total incubation. The 45S5 Bioglass registered -derived glass-ceramic scaffolds proved to be biocompatible in terms of the absence of inflammatory response at the implant site (CAM). Moreover, no alterations in the other end-points assessed, i.e. survival, stage of embryonic development and body weight, were detected. However, body length was greater in group E embryos than in group C embryos (p a[copy1/2 0.05). A marked reduction (93%) in Ca content in the scaffolds was evidenced by energy-dispersive X-ray analysis at 5 days post-implantation. Calcium release from the scaffold implanted on the CAM might have been responsible for the restoration of the bone-like phenotype in chick embryonic skeleton of group E as detected by Alcian blue-Alizarin red double staining, as well as by histological and microchemical analyses. Conversely, the control embryos exhibited a chondrogenic phenotype.