Effect of Zr dopant on in vitro cytotoxicity and neurogenic property of spray-dried bioactive glass microspheres

Bioactive glasses (BGs) have been extensively applied in dental and tissue engineering fields due to their bioactivity, biocompatibility, and degradability. Despite the advantages, the material itself lacks functionalities such as angiogenesis and antibacterial properties which could limit its applications. To address this, trace elements like copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), boron (B), and zinc (Zn) have been incorporated to enhance their therapeutic applications. Further, to explore the potential of neurogenic applications, this study fabricated both spray-dried undoped and Zr-doped BG specimens, which were then characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The in vitro bioactivity was assessed with simulated body fluid (SBF), cytotoxicity with L929 fibroblast cells, and neurogenic properties via the neuronal marker Tuj¹⁺. Finally, the study discusses the particle formation mechanism and their in vitro biological properties, aiming to enhance the understanding of BGs in neurogenesis.