Properties of zinc releasing surfaces for clinical applications

Two series of glasses of general formula (2-p) SiO21.1Na2OCaOpP2O5xZnO (p = 0.10, 0.20; x = 0.0, 0.16, 0.35, and 0.78) have been analyzed for physico-chem. surface features before and after contact with simulated body fluid, morphol. characteristics, and osteoblast-like cells behavior when cultured on them. The resulted good cell adhesion and growth, along with nonsignificant changes of the focal contacts, allow the authors to indicate HZ5 and HP5Z5 glasses as the ones having optimal ratio of Zn/P to maintain acceptable cell behavior, comparable to the bioactive glass (Bioglass) used as a control; results are also rationalized by means of three-dimensional models derived by mol. dynamic simulations, with decompn. and conversion rates optimized with respect to the parent Hench's Bioglass.