Alginate, a naturally occurring biopolymer derived from brown seaweed, is employed in different biomedical applications due to its gel-forming properties. Another attractive materials for bone tissue engineering are the bioactive glasses due to their bioactivity. Thus, the bioactive, biocompatible, and biodegradable characteristics of these biomaterials can be tested to facilitate cell proliferation and osteogenic differentiation in a bioink for bone regeneration. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the physicochemical characteristics of the materials and the biocompatibility of alginate with the bioactive glass 80SiO2–15CaO–5P2O5 (BG-2B) for application in bone tissue regeneration. An MTT assay was conducted to assess the mitochondrial metabolism of mesenchymal stem cells derived from the pulp of the deciduous teeth in the presence of 6% sodium alginate cross-linked with calcium chloride and BG-2B at concentrations of 0.1, 1, and 10% after 5 days. The zeta potential measured for BG-2B was around -13 mV, and for alginate, it was -44 mV. This indicates that BG-2B is less stable than alginate in suspension, since values of ±10–20 mV are classified as relatively stable and values greater than ±30 mV are classified as highly stable. The viability data indicated that the samples with lower BG-2B concentrations (0.1 and 1%) in alginate had no significant effect in comparison to the control sample (p≥0.05). However, when BG-2B was added at a concentration of 10%, a negative effect on cell viability was observed after a five-day exposure period (p≤0.05), indicating cytotoxicity. In conclusion, the combination of alginate and BG-2B in concentrations of 0.1% and 1% exhibits no cytotoxic effects. It can thus be concluded that the low concentrations of bioceramics have the potential for use in bone regeneration.
Acknowledge: The Office of Naval Research Global (ONRG Award N62909-21-1-2026); National Institute of Science and Technology for Regenerative Medicine (INCT-Regenera); Stem Cell Research Institute (IPCT).
