Objectives: Bioresorbable polyesters, such as polylactide and polycaprolactone and their copolymers, are widely studied for biomedical therapeutic applications. These polymers have also been studied as matrices for composites containing bioactive glass. However, the biological properties of these novel biopolymer/bioactive glass composites are not fully understood. Methods: Gingival fibroblasts were cultured on precorrored and noncorrored surfaces of copolymer P(e-CL/DL-LA)and on two physically different biologically active composites containing copolymer and bioactive glass (S53P4). Cell culture glass cover slips were used as control. Fibroblast growth characteristics were studied by using a commercial tetrazolium conversion assay (CellTiter96, Sigma Chemical Company), lectin fluorescence microscopy (TRITC-WGA, Sigma) and scanning electron microscopy. Results: The fibroblasts reached a comparable final density on all surfaces studied. No significant differences were found in cell proliferation among the three tested specimens. However, on composite and polymer surfaces a final maximum cell density was established earlier than on control glass surfaces. The difference between plain copolymer and control glass was significant at day 10 (ANOVA, p<0.0001) and remained significant throughout the end of experiment (p<0.0045). Precorrodation of composite materials in serum-containing culture medium had no significant effect on cell proliferation indicating that the pH effect typical of bioactive glasses did not inhibit fibroblast proliferation. As revealed by lectin fluorescence microscopy, at 3 days the morphology of the cells appeared rounder on the noncorrored than corrored bioactive glass containing composite surfaces. Scanning electron microscopy showed that a hydroxyapatite like layer had been deposited on the bioactive composite surfaces during the culture period. However, no entrapment of the cells into this layer could be detected. Conclusions: Our results indicate that composites based on copolymer P(e-CL/DL-LA) and bioactive glass support the attachment and proliferation of fibroblasts with or without precorrosion and may therefore be used for guidance of soft tissue healing.

Back to the Dental Materials: VIII - Others-Non-metallic Program
Back to the IADR/AADR/CADR 80th General Session (March 6-9, 2002)

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