Several studies suggest that the surface coating of titanium could play an important role in bone tissue engineering. In the present study, we have followed a particular biomimetic strategy where ultrasonically or electromagnetically stimulated SAOS-2 human osteoblasts proliferated and built their extracellular matrix on a titanium surface. In comparison with control conditions, the ultrasonic and the electromagnetic stimulation caused higher cell proliferation, and increased surface coating with decorin, osteocalcin, osteopontin, and type I collagen together with higher incorporation of calcium and phosphorus inside the extracellular matrix. The immunofluorescence related to the preceding bone matrix proteins showed their colocalization in the cell-rich areas. The use of the two physical stimulations allowed the coating of the titanium surface in terms of cell colonization and deposition of extracellular matrix. The superficially cultured biomaterial could be theoretically used, in clinical applications, as an implant for bone repair.
Fassina L, Saino E, Sbarra MS, Visai L, Cusella De Angelis MG, Mazzini G, Benazzo F, Magenes G. Ultrasonic and electromagnetic enhancement of a culture of human SAOS-2 osteoblasts seeded onto a titanium plasma-spray surface. Tissue Eng Part C Methods. 2009 Jun;15(2):233-42. doi: 10.1089/ten.tec.2008.0398.
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