The group of WANG Junfeng and colleagues have used a special mobile phase to pre-treat micron-sized borate bioglass by a melting method in vitro. They obtained nano-scale (~50nm) borate bioglass (Nano-HCA@BG), which was covered with an amorphous hydroxyapatite (HCA) layer.

During the processing, the ions (PO43- and CO32-) in the mobile phase were deposited on the surface of the glass to form the HCA layer, which effectively inhibited the rapid release of boron and calcium in the remaining glass and thereby reduced the biological toxicity of the glass itself to cells. In addition, HCA, as an important inorganic component in bones, has good biocompatibility, and can accelerate the induction of collagen synthesis in tissues. The results of in vitro degradation experiments, cell experiments, and animal experiments showed that compared with the existing commercialized bioactive glass, HCA and micron-sized borate bioglass, nano-HCA@BG slow-released boron calcium, and other elements can effectively accelerate wound cells migration and further up-regulation of the expression of vascular-related growth factors in the wound.

CAS news release, July 5, 2021