Titanium dioxide (TiO) nanotubes are known to strongly enhance bone/mesenchymal stem cell behavior and, consequently, have gained attention as potential osteogenic surface treatments for titanium-bone implants. The exact mechanism by which TiO nanotubes influence cellular function remains controversial, partly due to limitations in existing cellular imaging methods with opaque substrates. This work identifies fabrication conditions for the successful production of transparent TiO nanotube arrays with tailorable diameters, as well as their functionality with pre-osteoblast mouse cells (MC3T3-E1) transfected with fluorescent focal adhesion protein vinculin and cytoskeletal filament actin. We demonstrate a means of recording live-cell, cell-substrate interaction mechanisms via high-resolution fluorescent microscopy and customizable, transparent TiO nanotubes to begin defining the relationship between TiO nanotube features and cell function.

The therapeutic applications of titanium dioxide nanotubes (TiO2 NTs) as osteogenic surface treatments for titanium (Ti)-based implants are largely due to the finely tunable physical characteristics of these nanostructures. As these characteristics change, so does the cellular response, yet the exact mechanisms for this relationship remains largely undefined. We present a novel TiO2 NT imaging platform that is suitable for use with live-cell imaging techniques, thereby enabling, for the first time, dynamic investigation of those mechanisms. In this work, fabrication methods for producing transparent TiO2 NTs with diameters of 56 ± 6 nm, 75 ± 7 nm, 92 ± 9 nm, and 116 ± 10 nm are described. To demonstrate the diagnostic potential of these TiO2 NT imaging platforms, the focal adhesion protein vinculin and actin cytoskeletal filaments were fluorescently tagged in osteoblasts and real-time, high-resolution fluorescent microscopy of livecell interactions with TiO2 NT substrates were observed. The scope of such a platform is expected to extend far beyond the current proof-of-concept, with great potential for addressing the dynamic response of cells interacting with nanostructured substrates.

Silver-hydroxyapatite coatings prepared from Ag3PO4 microcrystals have been deposited on titanium dioxide nanotubes supported by titanium disks by photodecomposition of predeposited Ag3PO4 microcrystals or their coprecipitate with hydroxyapatite. The SEM-EDS characterization has confirmed excellent film uniformity and consistent deposition over the surface, which is essential for improving osseointegration of tunable antibacterial bone implants.