Selenium Nanoparticles Formed by Modulation of Carrageenan Enhance Osteogenic Differentiation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Fabrication of nano-sized selenium (Se) particles may help to expend the applications of Se. In this study, we focused on the preparation and characterization of Se nanoparticles (Se NPs) modulated with carrageenan (CA). Furthermore, their influence on osteoblast cell growth was investigated in vitro. Spherical Se-NPs, of 100 similar to 200 nm diameter, were prepared simply by adding kappa-, iota-, and lambda-CA, which has sulfate groups, hydroxyl groups, and carboxyl groups. CA-modulated Se NPs (CA-Se NPs) were readily suspended in liquid medium with no precipitation over long time periods. In particular, it was found through Alizarin Red S staining that the growth of osteoblast D1 cells treated with lambda-CA-Se NPs was improved significantly. These results suggest that Se NPs can be prepared simply, using CA, have good suspension stability in liquid medium, and lambda-CA-Se NPs may induce the growth of osteoblast cells.