Cellular response to calcium phosphate glasses with controlled solubility.

In the last decades, the research on materials for bone regeneration has focused on materials that are degradable and capable of stimulating tissue regeneration. In this context, phosphate glasses offer an interesting alternative, given the wide range of solubility they present and their similarity with respect to the chemical composition of the bone mineral phase. In the current work, two different formulations of phosphate glasses in the system P(2)O(5)[bond]CaO[bond]Na(2)O[bond]TiO(2) are developed. The incorporation of TiO(2) into the glass network allows for better control of the glass dissolution rate. Although these glasses have been studied extensively from the physicochemical point of view, little is known about their biocompatibility. To evaluate the biological response to these materials, we have used a human skin fibroblast model. The cells were incubated in vitro following two different methods. The first was incubated in direct contact with the glasses and the second one, in the presence of their extracts. The effects of the materials on cell growth were determined by means of toxicity (WST assay), adhesion, and proliferation tests. The results showed that the in vitro behavior of soluble phosphate glasses is strongly affected by their solubility. On the other hand, the results showed that the cellular response is highly affected by the testing procedure. Copyright 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 67A: 1009-1015, 2003