Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
13-93B3
Cu-3
CS
CSZ
CSZF
Assessment of angiogenesis
0.0456*
250
0.0443*
200
0.386
150
0.0472*
100
50
0
B3
Cu-3
CS
CSZ
CSZF
C
or
Cu
- copper,
S
- strontium,
Z
- zinc,
F
- iron
Figure 6.4
Assessment of angiogenesis by scaffolds of borate glasses doped with
metal ions that were implanted in rats for six weeks. Copper and zinc were
the elements that promoted statistically significant increases in vascularity. (Data
acquired from Ref. [8].)
Angiogenic properties of bioactive glass are also important to soft
tissue regeneration. In India, it is estimated that there are more than 50
million people who suffer from diabetes. The USA, Europe, and most of
the developed nations also have millions of people with diabetes. Most
of these people at some time in their lives will develop wounds that are
caused by diabetes or an associated disease that has delayed healing or
will not heal at all. These wounds are typically vascular-deficient and
will only heal when the vascular network has been repaired. Angiogenic
bioactive borate glasses, like those shown in Figure 6.4, are currently
being investigated for healing these non-healing diabetic wounds in
humans, and the results are quite promising [15].
Small additions (a small weight percentage) of certain metal ions like
copper and zinc can have statistically significant increases on the number
of blood vessels adjacent to bioactive glasses. The scaffolds shown at the
top of Figure 6.4 change from almost white (13-93B3) with relatively
few blood vessels to dark purple (CSZF), and this acts as a visual
indication to the increase in blood vessels present in the scaffolds. More
will be covered on this application at the end of the chapter.
