A dual-layer macro/mesoporous structured TiO2 surface improves the initial adhesion of osteoblast-like cells

- A dual-layer macro/mesoporous anatase TiO2 surface topography for the application in dental and orthopaedics was prepared by a combination of micro-arc oxidation (MAO) and evaporation-induced self-assembly (EISA) on Ti alloys.
- The biomimetic hierarchical macro/mesoporous surface topography enhances the initial adhesion of osteoblast-like cells.
- Initial cell adhesion on the macro/mesoporous structure is regulated by the RhoA/ROCK pathway.

A dual-layer TiO2 surface with hierarchical macro and mesoporous structure was prepared by a combinational approach of micro-arc oxidation followed by evaporation-induced self-assembly of nano-crystallites. The mesoporous layer contains pores with an average size of < 10 nm and consists of anatase TiO2 nanocrystallites. The dual-layer hierarchical macro/mesoporous structured TiO2 surface improves the hydrophilicity and fibronectin adsorption ability in comparison with the sole macroporous or smooth TiO2 surface. With the formation of an additional mesoporous layer on macroporous TiO2 surface, the attached number of human osteogenic sarcoma cells (SaOS-2) increases in the initial incubation of 4 h but it does not show significant difference after 24 h compared to that attached on the macroporous or smooth surfaces. Whereas, it was noticed that SaOS-2 cells have larger spread area and more stress fibers on the macro/mesoporous structured surface than those on the other surfaces. To understand the intracellular mechanism of the initial cell adhesion on the macro/mesoporous surface, the Rho/ROCK pathway was investigated to reveal the topography-induced biological functions by introducing the ROCK inhibitor Y-27632 during cell culture. In the presence of Y-27632, cells on the macroporous surface and macro/mesoporous surface both show stellate appearance, with poor assembly stress fibers and long cell membrane protrusions. Cells on the smooth surface have larger spread areas compared to the former two surfaces. And the attached cells significantly reduced but there are no differences among the three surfaces. It reveals that the ROCK inhibitor invalidates the promotion of initial cell adhesion on the macro/mesoporous structure. This study may shed light on the mechanism behind the enhancement effect of macro/mesoporous structure for initial cell adhesion.

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