Enhancing osseointegration of titanium implants through MC3T3‐E1 protein‐gelatin polyelectrolyte multilayers

Abstract

Titanium and its alloys have found extensive use in the biomedical field, however, implant loosening due to weak osseointegration remains a concern. Improved surface morphology and chemical composition can enhance the osseointegration of the implant. Bioactive molecules have been utilized to modify the surface of the titanium‐based material to achieve rapid and efficient osseointegration between the implant and bone tissues. In this study, the bioactive substance MC3T3‐E1 protein‐gelatin polyelectrolyte multilayers were constructed on the surface of the titanium implants by means of layer‐by‐layer self‐assembly to enhance the strength of the bond between the bone tissue and the implant. The findings of the study indicate that the layer‐by‐layer self‐assembly technique can enhance surface roughness and hydrophilicity to a considerable extent. Compared to pure titanium, the hydrophilicity of TiOH LBL was significantly increased with a water contact angle of 75.0 2.4°. The modified titanium implant exhibits superior biocompatibility and wound healing ability upon co‐culture with cells. MC3T3‐E1 cells were co‐cultured with TiOH LBL for 1, 3, and 5 days and their viability was higher than 85%. In addition, the wound healing results demonstrate that TiOH LBL exhibited the highest migratory ability (243 ± 10 μm). Furthermore, after 7 days of osteogenic induction, the modified titanium implant significantly promotes osteoblast differentiation.