An investigation of the initial attachment and orientation of osteoblast-like cells on laser grooved Ti-6Al-4V surfaces

• Published in: Materials Science & Engineering C 2009-05, Vol.29 (4), p.1442-1452
• Main Authors: Chen, J., Ulerich, J.P., Abelev, E., Fasasi, A., Arnold, C.B., Soboyejo, W.O.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Contact guidance; Initial cell spreading and adhesion; Laser processing; Microgrooves; Titanium texturing
• ISSN: 0928-4931; 1873-0191
• DOI: 10.1016/j.msec.2008.11.014

This paper presents the results of an experimental study of the initial cell spreading and adhesion on longitudinally- and transversally-oriented micro-grooves produced by the laser irradiation of laser grooved Ti-6Al-4V surfaces. The initial spreading and orientations of human osteosarcoma (HOS) cells were observed and quantified after 15-min, 1-hour, 4-hour and 24-hour cell culture periods. Immuno-fluorescence staining of adhesion proteins (actin and vinculin) was then used to study the spreading and adhesion of HOS cells in 1 hour and 4 hour culture experiments. The initial cell adhesion was also quantified using enzymatic detachment tests. The results showed that cell spreading and adhesion were enhanced by longitudinally- and transversally-oriented micro-grooves. The effects, which increase with time, were not remarkable after 1 hour, but obvious after 4 hours. Contact guidance was found to promote cell adhesion due to the increase in interactions between the focal adhesions and the patterned extra-cellular matrix (ECM) proteins on the laser micro-grooved surfaces.