Osteoblast Responses to Titanium-Coated Subcellular Scaled Microgrooves

Abstract

Statistical data have consistently shown that implant loosening is a significant causative factor for revision surgeries. Both in vivo and in vitro studies have confirmed the positive influences of microgrooved titanium implant surfaces on improving orthopedic titanium implants compared with a smooth titanium surface. Complete cell–groove adhesion is a prerequisite for rapid and robust osseointegration. For the first time, this work has quantified the influence of the titanium groove width at the subcellular scale (5–20 μm) on osteoblast responses, using titanium-coated microgrooved silicon wafer specimens (surface roughness, R a = ∼1.5 nm), which can avoid the latent influence of variations in surface roughness from the use of normal titanium substrates. The cell–groove adhesion increased from 53.07% to 98.55% with an increasing groove width from 5 to 20 μm. In addition, both the cell spreading area and cell width were proportional to groove width. However, no statistically significant influence (p > 0.05) of groove width was identified on cell proliferation and differentiation. An exponential model was proposed to predict the groove geometries that can facilitate complete cell–groove adhesion. The underlying mechanisms were discussed. The experimental findings of this study provide a unique basis for the design of titanium implant surfaces.

Topographical biointerface regulating cellular functions for bone tissue engineering

“…Considering the complexity of tissue regeneration processes, the effect of topological implant surface on different cell lines during different bone healing stage should be comprehensively evaluated. In clinical applications, although ordered topographies, especially for microgrooves, have been demonstrated to stimulate contact guidance, regulate cell alignment, cell spreading, and osteogenic differentiation, and accelerate bone regeneration and osteointegration [142,176], due to the irregular shape of the defect, implants with patterned structures need to be accommodated for rapid preparation with complex structures. As such, there is an urgent need to develop 3D scaffolds of implants with desired topographic features to provide appropriate guidance to cells for bone repair.…”

Enhanced Biotribological and Anticorrosion Properties and Bioactivity of Ti6Al4V Alloys with Laser Texturing

“…Moreover, Raimbault et al 30 pointed out that cellular behavior was sensitive to the width of the microgroove, related to the arrangement and growth of cells. Gui et al 31 prepared the grooves on the silicon substrate with a width of 5–20 μm and implied that the groove with a 20 μm width increased the number of osteoblast soars. However, there is no unified conclusion on the optimistic microgroove width, beneficial to the improvements of antiwear, anticorrosion, and bioactivity simultaneously.…”

In vitro contact guidance of glioblastoma cells on metallic biomaterials

“…This means that, oriented structure of the deformation markings in each crystal mimicking the directional characteristics of 3D extra cellular matrix (ECM) may be helpful to achieve anisotropic morphogenesis of the bone tissue [20,24]. Eventually, this would provide a more effective cell response and enhance the success of the implantation [25].…”