Effect of surface nanoscale topography on elastic modulus of individual osteoblastic cells as determined by atomic force microscopy

Abstract

Mechanical stimulation of osteoblasts by fluid flow promotes a variety of pro-differentiation effects and improving the efficiency of these mechanical signals could encourage specific differentiation pathways. One way this could be accomplished is by altering mechanical properties of osteoblasts. In this study, murine osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells were cultured on surfaces covered with nanometer-sized islands to examine the hypothesis that the elastic modulus of osteoblastic cells is affected by nanoscale topography. Nanoislands were produced by polymer demixing of polystyrene and poly(bromostyrene), which leads to a segregated polymer system and formation of nanometer sized topographical features. The elastic modulus of MC3T3-E1 cells was determined using atomic force microscopy in conjunction with the Hertz mathematical model. Osteoblastic cells cultured on nanotopographic surfaces (11-38 nm high islands) had a different distribution of cellular modulus values, e.g., the distribution shifted towards higher modulus values, relative to cells on flat control surfaces. There were also differences in cell modulus distribution between two flat controls as surface chemistry was changed between polystyrene and glass. Taken together, our results demonstrate that both surface nanotopography and chemistry affect the mechanical properties of cells and may provide new methods for altering the response of cells to external mechanical signals.

Response of osteoblast-like cells to zirconia with different surface topography

“…Nanoscale modification of an implant surface could contribute to the mimicry of cellular environments and thus favor rapid bone accrual. For example, the surface roughness of bone is approximately 32 nm, within the nanoscale range [18][19][20][21] . Hence, a nanoscale topography may provide a biomimetic surface that would support hydroxyapatite mineral formation 22) and related organic phase guidance of bone mineralization 23) .…”

Dynamics of hydrated polyurethane biomaterials: Surface microphase restructuring, protein activity and platelet adhesion

“…The Young's modulus (E) was computed from approaching force curves using a Hertzian model with any arbitrary two points, (z 1 , d 1 ) and (z 2 , d 2 ), on the force curve [25]:…”

Influence of thin carbonate-containing apatite coating with molecular precursor method to zirconia on osteoblast-like cell response

“…Nanoscale modification of an implant surface could contribute to the mimicry of cellular environments and thus favor rapid bone accrual [21][22][23][24] . Therefore, micro-and nano-topographies were created on the TZP surface by blasting and acid etching in the present study.…”