The osteogenic and angiogenic responses of organisms to the ionic products of degradation of bioactive glasses (BGs) are being intensively investigated. The promotion of angiogenesis by copper (Cu) has been known for more than three decades. This element can be incorporated to delivery carriers, such as BGs, and the materials used in biological assays. In this work, Cu-containing mesoporous bioactive glass (MBG) in the SiO2-CaO-P2O5 compositional system was prepared incorporating 5% mol Cu (MBG-5Cu) by replacement of the corresponding amount of Ca. The biological effects of the ionic products of MBG biodegradation were evaluated on a well-known endothelial cell line, the bovine aorta endothelial cells (BAEC), as well as in an in vivo zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryo assay. The results suggest that ionic products of both MBG (Cu free) and MBG-5Cu materials promote angiogenesis. In vitro cell cultures show that the ionic dissolution products of these materials are not toxic and promote BAEC viability and migration. In addition, the in vivo assay indicates that both exposition and microinjection of zebrafish embryos with Cu free MBG material increase vessel number and thickness of the subintestinal venous plexus (SIVP), whereas assays using MBG-5Cu enhance this effect. Mesoporous bioactive glasses (MBGs) with high specific surface area, well-ordered pores, large pore volumes and controllable amount of ions are interesting to develop controlled drug delivery systems for bone tissue regeneration. Copper (Cu) incorporation to the basic SiO2-CaO-P2O5 composition has attracted high interest due to its multifunctional biological properties. Promotion of angiogenesis is one of these properties, which can be integrated to the biomaterial with lower cost and higher stability when compared with growth factors. This work reports the synthesis and characterization of Cu-containing MBG evaluating its angiogenic properties in the subintestinal vessel zebrafish assay. This transgenic in vivo assay is merging as an alternative model providing short-time consuming protocols and facilities during pro-angiogenic drug screenings. The report shows that the ionic products of this MBG material delivered to the zebrafish incubation media significantly enhance angiogenesis in comparison with control groups. Besides, results indicate Cu ions may exhibit a synergic effect with Si, Ca, and P ions in angiogenesis stimulation both in vitro and in vivo. To our knowledge, this is the first time that zebrafish in vivo assays are used to evaluate angiogenic activity of ionic dissolution products from MBG materials.

The development of scaffolds mimicking native bone tissue composition and structure is a challenge in bone tissue engineering. 3D scaffolds with both an interconnected macropore structure and nanotextured surfaces are required. However, 3D scaffolds processed by microfabrication usually lack of nanotextured surface, while nanotextured materials generated by bottom-up nanofabrication are difficult to process conforming scaffolds having well interconnected microsized cavities. In this work, the processing of reticulated (macropore interconnected) structures using nanostructured precursors has been performed to improve the mechanical properties of the scaffolds. The application of a fibrillar collagen coating, using less than 1 wt% collagen per scaffold, has allow a significant increase of the compressive strength while preserving a high surface area and nanopore accessibility. Besides, the fibrillar nanostructured collagen coating promotes hydroxyapatite mineralization. Two different collagen-coating procedures are applied showing interesting differences in terms of mechanical performance.

Introduction: The primary goal of endodontics is to cure or prevent periapical pathology. Bacteria and their by‐products are the main etiological factors in apical periodontitis. Common disinfectants include NaOCl, chlorhexidine, and EDTA, often used with intracanal medications such as calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH) ₂ ). Recently, various nanoparticulate materials, particularly silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), have shown promise due to their excellent antimicrobial properties and high biocompatibility. However, zinc peroxide nanoparticles (ZnO ₂ NPs) have notable chemical stability, low toxicity to human cells, and antimicrobial properties through the release of reactive oxygen species (ROS). This study aims to synthesize, characterize, and evaluate the antimicrobial activity of ZnO ₂ NP and compare their properties with AgNP and Ca(OH) ₂ . Materials and Methods: AgNPs were synthesized via a chemical reduction method, while ZnO ₂ NPs were synthesized using a solgel method. Nanoparticles were characterized using Fourier‐transform infrared (FT‐IR) spectroscopy, ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV–Vis), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Gels containing 1.5% hydroxyethyl cellulose were prepared with AgNP and ZnO ₂ NP. Disk diffusion and dilution methods were used to evaluate antimicrobial activity against Enterococcus faecalis (ATCC 29212). Fifteen extracted single‐rooted teeth were used to evaluate biofilm formation and infection with SEM and LIVE/DEAD kits. Statistical analysis included the Kruskal–Wallis and Mann–Whitney U tests ( p < 0.05). Results: ZnO ₂ NPs showed higher antimicrobial activity with a mean inhibition zone of 15.2143 mm, compared to Ca(OH) ₂ (10.2857 mm) and AgNP (8.1786 mm). ZnO ₂ NPs also had the lowest absorbance, indicating higher antibacterial activity. Discussion: ZnO ₂ NP’s superior antimicrobial activity is likely due to ROS production, which bacteria find hard to resist. Their chemical stability and amphoteric nature make ZnO ₂ NP promising for endodontic use. Conclusion: ZnO ₂ NP gels exhibited greater antimicrobial activity compared to AgNPs and Ca(OH) ₂ , suggesting their potential as an alternative intracanal medication in endodontics.