Evaluation of the influence of albumin on the mineralization of a glass by Atomic Force Microscopy

Bioactive glasses have been used as a graft material that can stimulate the formation of a new bone. In vitro tests usually give sensible indications about the potential bioactivity of these glasses. In the present work the influence of egg albumin on the formation of a Ca-P precipitate on a glass of the system SiO(2)-CaO-MgO-P(2)O(5) was evaluated. The samples were immersed in simulated body fluid (SBF) that simulates the composition of human plasma, with and without albumin. After immersion in this solution for 7 and 14 days, the glass was characterized by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). AFM results of the samples after immersion in SBF with albumin show the development of a precipiate formed from the solution/substrate reaction. Glasses immersed in albumin-free SBF exhibit the formation of a thin layer easily detached from the substrate. XRD results indicate that the precipitate is essentially amorphous, evolving to octacalcium phosphate. As the formation of an adherent precipitate on the glass samples only occurred when the substrate was immersed in SBF with albumin, it is suggested that albumin improves the mineralization on the glasses.