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Basic Science
What is Bioactive Glass Technology?
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Medical History
Bioactive glasses were originally introduced as an improved type of bone implant material. Designed to have a specific biological activity when in contact with the body, bioactive glasses have the ability to bond with both hard (bone) and soft (subcutaneous) tissue. This "tissue bonding" response of the body contrasts with the encapsulation and eventual rejection of other standard "inert" implant materials such as metals and plastics. Implanted into a bone defect, the surface of bioactive glass remodels to form hydroxy-carbono-apatite (HCA), the chemical and structural equivalent of bone mineral. Additionally, bone growth markers and bone repair cells are increased in the presence of bioactive glass, thus accelerating the overall healing process.
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Activity of Glass
Like all glasses, bioactive glasses are an amorphous state of their molecular constituents. In the original form currently approved for medical use, the glass is a four-component system of oxides of silicon, calcium, sodium and phosphorus. The relatively low silicon, and high alkaline content lead to a rapid ion exchange in aqueous environments. This exchange generally leads to an increase in solution pH, which can be substantial for finely grained powders having high surface to volume ratios. The initially rapid release of sodium is accompanied by a somewhat slower release of other ion species, predominantly calcium and silica. Under certain conditions in solution, these ion species will precipitate onto the glass and onto other nearby surfaces, to form calcium-containing mineral layers. In this case, the outer glass surface itself can transform to HCA. The ability to build such a surface is sometimes referred to as a measure of the "bioactivity" of the glass.
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When implanted into the body, repair cells will colonize the bioactive surface, laying down new tissue on and into the glass.
The activity is strongly dependent on particle size, increasing as particle size goes down. In a finely grained powder form bioactive glasses have additionally demonstrated anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties.
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Anti-microbial effects:
A substantial antimicrobial effect is seen against a broad range of bacteria and fungus. This effect is largely pH dependent, with the kill rate decreasing as the solution buffered. However, not all of observed kills can be attributed to pH, but may be additionally due to overall ionic pressure and surface charge activity.
Anti-inflammatory:
Bioactive glass have demonstrated distinct anti-inflammatory properties in standard mouse peritoneal model as well as in preliminary study of chronic wound biopsies showed that Bioactive Glass reduced inflammatory markers.
For further background concerning bioactive glasses, please find a number of medical research papers at the National Library of Medicine (NLM)
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Контактные данные
SCHOTT Electronic Packaging GmbH
Christoph-Dorner-Strasse 29
84028 Landshut
Germany
 | +49 (0)871/826-0 |
 | +49 (0)871/826-400 |
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