Titanium and Strontium-doped Phosphate Glasses as Vehicles for Strontium Ion Delivery to Cells

This study investigated the use of a Ti-containing quaternary phosphate glass system P2O5-Na2O-CaO-TiO2 as a vehicle for strontium ion delivery to cells. Four glass compositions were manufactured: 0.5P(2)O(5)-0.15Na(2)O-0.05TiO(2)-(0.3-x)CaO-xSrO (x=0, 0.01, 0.03, and 0.05). Structural characterization revealed that sodium calcium phosphate is the dominant phase in all the glasses. Degradation studies demonstrated highly linear glass degradation, with Sr-containing glasses degrading at higher rates than the Sr-free glass. Biocompatibility studies using MG63 cells showed that the Sr-containing glasses possess excellent cell attachment and growth, particularly over short periods (similar to 4 days).