Study of osteoblasts mineralisation in-vitro by Raman micro-spectroscopy

The effect of bioinert and bioactive materials on the formation and mineralisation of bone nodules in-vitro was studied by Raman spectroscopy. Human primary osteoblasts were cultured on bioinert fused silica and bioactive 45S5 Bioglass(R) for 10 days. No mineralisation was detected in both cases when the culture media was not supplemented with beta-glycerophosphate. When beta-glycerophosphate was added to the culture media, hydroxyapatite was detected in the Raman spectra for both substrates. However, when osteoblasts were cultured on fused silica, the intensity of HA peak was considerably lower compared to the values measured when the cells were cultured on 45S5 Bioglass(R). Bone nodules were observed only when 45S5 Bioglass(R) was used as substrate and the mineralisation was indicated by very intense HA peaks.