Accelerated stem cell attachment to ultrafine grained titanium

Commercial purity titanium with an average grain size in the low sub-micron range was produced by equal channel angular pressing (ECAP). Attachment of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) to the surface of conventional coarse grained and ECAP-modified titanium was studied. It was demonstrated that the attachment and spreading of hMSCs in the initial stages (up to 24 h) of culture was enhanced by grain refinement. Surface characterization by a range of techniques showed that the main factor responsible for the observed acceleration of hMSC attachment and spreading on titanium due to grain refinement in the bulk is the attendant changes in surface topography on the nanoscale. These results indicate that, in addition to its superior mechanical properties, ECAP-modified titanium possesses improved biocompatibility, which makes it to a potent candidate for applications in medical implants.