Effects of a grooved titanium-coated implant surface on epithelial cell behavior in vitro and in vivo.
The effects of a grooved titanium-coated substratum on epithelial (E) cell behavior were studied in vitro and in vivo. V-shaped grooves, 10 microns deep, were produced in silicon wafers by micromachining, a process which was developed for the fabrication of microelectronic components. The grooved substrata were replicated in epoxy resin and coated with 50 nm of titanium. More E cells were found attached to the grooved titanium surfaces than to adjacent smooth surfaces. In comparison to the smooth surfaces where clusters of E cells were randomly oriented, on the grooved surfaces, clusters of E cells were markedly oriented along the long axis of grooves. Grooved and smooth titanium-coated epoxy implants were placed percutaneously in the parietal area of rats. Electron and light microscopic observations indicated that E cells were tightly attached to the implant surfaces and this attachment is through basal lamina-like and hemidesmosome-like structures. In the grooved portion of the implant, E cells interdigitated into the grooves and had rounded nuclei. Histomorphometric measurements indicated that there was a shorter length of epithelial attachment, longer length of connective tissue attachment, and less recession in the grooved, compared to the smooth portion of implants after 7 and 10 days. These results indicate that horizontal grooves produced by micromachining can significantly impede epithelial downgrowth on titanium-coated epoxy implants.
Department of Oral Biology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
B
B
Chehroudi
T R
TR
Gould
D M
DM
Brunette
D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003238:Connective Tissue / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004848:Epithelium / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008422:Materials Testing; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013499:Surface Properties; D013552:Swine; D014025:Titanium
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D014025:Titanium