Background: In recent years, bioceramics have been favored by biomaterials scientists and researchers. Due to their special and distinctive features, bioactive glass and hydroxyapatite possess a higher place among different types of bioceramics.
Method: In this study, the effect of 63S bioactive glass and bone-derived hydroxyapatite particles on the proliferation of human bone-marrow stem cells (hMSCs) was investigated. Bioactive glass particles were made via sol-gel method and hydroxyapatite was obtained from bovine bone. The particle size and morphology were investigated by scanning electron microscope (SEM). Then the in vitro cytotoxicity of particles was evaluated using MTT assay. SEM showed that bioactive glass particles were in the nanoscale range and had tendency towards agglomeration. It was also confirmed that the hydroxyapatite particles were agglomerations of crystals cca 50-500 nm across.
Results: The results of MTT assay confirmed the viability and proliferation of hMSCs in contact with bioactive glass and bone-derived HA particles. The fabricated particles in combination with stem cells were shown to hold promising potential for further applications in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.