Synthesis and Characterization of a Biocompatible Bioactive Borate Glass

A typical bioactive borate glass of composition 5Na2O-30Ca-65B2O3(NCBO) was prepared by melt quenching method. The NCBO glass powder and solid glass fibers were found to slowly converted to nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite (or Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2) by soaking in (0.25M)K2HPO4(KDP) solution (with pH = 9.5 and Ca/P ratio ˜1.6 at 37°C) for about one month. We studied biocompatibility (cells adhesion and proliferation) of the NCBO glass by allowing adhesion and proliferation of human cord blood derived mesenchymal stem cells (CB-hMSCs) directly on the thin glass plate. The cells viability on glass surface was determined by MTT [3-(4,5-di-methylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide] assay analysis. The NCBO glass exhibiting excellent biocompatibility might be suitable for in vivo tissue engineering applications.