Zinc and Strontium-Substituted Bioactive Glass Nanoparticle/Alginate Composites Scaffold for Bone Regeneration

The global population is growing older and entering an aging society. Aging results in severe tissue disorder and organ dysfunction. Bone-related injuries are particularly significant. The need for alternative bone replacement materials for human implants has grown over the past few decades. Alginate has the potential for use as a cell scaffold for bone tissue engineering due to its high bio-compatibility. To improve the bioactivity of alginate scaffolds, zinc- and strontium-containing sol-gel-derived bioactive glass nanoparticles (Zn-Sr-BGNPs) with sizes ranging from 100 to l40 nm were incorporated. Zn-Sr-BGNPs synthesized through the sol-gel process have a high sur-face-to-volume ratio, homogeneity, and purity, resulting in faster degradation. The therapeutic bivalent ions released from Zn-Sr-BGNPs strengthen the cell scaffold and improve the stimulation of the production and development of bone cells. Zn-Sr-BGNPs with different Zn to Si nominal ratios of 0, 1, and 1.5 were mixed with alginate in this research. The ratio of Zn in Zn-Sr-BGNPs and the ratio of Zn-Sr-BGNPs in scaffolds impact the pore size, swelling, and biological properties of synthesized composite scaffolds. The surface area and pore volume of a 1:1 1Zn-Sr-BGNP:Alg composite scaffold were 22.58 m(2)/g and 0.055 cm(3)/g, respectively. The incorporation of Zn-Sr-BGNPs improved the mechanical performance of the scaffolds up to 4.73 +/- 0.48 MPa. The swelling rate decreased slightly from 2.12 (pure Alg) to 1.50 (1Zn-Sr-BGNP:Alg (1:1)). The 1Zn-Sr-BGNP:Alg (1:1) composite scaffold promoted bioactivity through apatite layer formation, increased bone cell proliferation via the dissolution products released from the scaffold, enhanced calcium deposition, and facilitated cell attachment. Thus, 1Zn-Sr-BGNP:Alg (1:1) composite scaffold is proposed as a possible artificial bone scaffold in bone tissue regeneration.

Automated summary

The global population is increasingly aging, leading to tissue disorder and organ dysfunction, especially in regards to bone-related injuries. The demand for alternative bone replacement materials has grown, with alginate showing potential as a cell scaffold for bone tissue engineering due to its high bio-compatibility. Incorporating zinc- and strontium-containing sol-gel-derived bioactive glass nanoparticles (Zn-Sr-BGNPs) into alginate scaffolds can improve their bioactivity. The synthesized Zn-Sr-BGNPs have a high surface-to-volume ratio, resulting in faster degradation and the release of therapeutic bivalent ions that strengthen the cell scaffold and stimulate bone cell production. The composition of the Zn-Sr-BGNPs and their ratio in the scaffolds impact the physical and biological properties of the composite scaffolds.