In-vitro study of hierarchical structures: Anodic oxidation and alkaline treatments onto highly rough titanium cold gas spray coatings for biomedical applications

Hierarchical structures were obtained applying two different nanotexturing surface treatments onto highly rough commercial pure titanium coatings by cold spray: (i) anodic oxidation and (ii) alkaline treatments. An extended surface characterization in terms of topography, composition, and wettability has been performed to understand how those parameters affect to cell response. Primary human osteoblasts extracted from knee were seeded onto the as-sprayed titanium surface before and after the nanotexturing treatments. Cell viability was tested by using MTS and LIVE/DEAD assays, as well as osteoblasts differentiation by alkaline phosphatase (ALP) quantification at 3 and 10 days of cell culture. The combination of micro-/nano-roughness results in a significantly increase of cell proliferation, as well as cell differentiation after 10 days of cell culture in comparison with the non-treated coatings.