Engineering biocompatible implant surfaces

This article reviews the interdisciplinary field of biocompatible implant surfaces from the viewpoint of materials science, biochemistry and cell biology. It compiles an overview on basic information about bulk and surface properties of implants based on metallic materials (particularly titanium and its alloys) and surface modification including functionalization with adhesion and growth promoting species. It describes how cells recognize surfaces and respond to different biomaterials, outlines common assays on cell behavior in culture, and reports on cell types and proteins involved in tissue response, acute and chronic responses to implanted biomaterials.