Effect of the Surface Microtopography of Titanium Matrices on the Proliferation and Viability of Fibroblast-Like Cells

Abstract

We study the effect of the microtopography of the surface of titanium implants on the proliferation (reproduction process) of fibroblast-like cells (cells of the connective tissue of the body) using the morphological analysis of cell cultures by phase-contrast microscopy. Three-dimensional titanium cell matrices (scaffolds) are used as the mechanical frame for the analyzed cells. The metabolic activity of the cells, cell viability, and the cytotoxic effect of scaffolds on human-skin fibroblast cultures are evaluated using the colorimetric MTT test. Titanium scaffolds with a polished surface and with a sandblasted surface and the same samples with a bioactive titanium-dioxide coating with the anatase structure are used in the experiments. The morphological analysis of human-skin fibroblasts in the presence of scaffolds does not show any changes in the appearance of the cells compared with control cells cultured in the absence of scaffolds. Evaluation of the cytotoxic effect of titanium scaffolds on the culture of human-skin fibroblasts show that none of the types of scaffolds used have a significant cytotoxic effect on the skin fibroblasts in the culture. It is concluded that the requirements for the surface treatment of titanium implants with high fibrointegration (formation of fibrous connective tissue on the implant surface), used in maxillofacial surgery, do not have an adverse effect on the proliferation of fibroblast-like cells and do not suppress their viability, since they do not have cytotoxic effects leading to cell death.