In vitro cytotoxicity testing of metal alloys used in medicine: Comparison of different approaches.
Metal alloys are used in medicine mainly for implantation in different branches of surgery and as indispensable materials in stomatology. The toxicity testing of these materials incurs even more technical problems than the toxicity testing of new drugs. In principle there are two approaches-direct contact of a tested material with cells, or toxicity testing of an eluate prepared from tested material. We have tested more than 20 different metal alloys, based either on titanium, gold or stainless-steel. We used three different in vitro methods: the dynamic assessment of contact cytotoxicity-cell monolayer is in direct contact with tested material (Cervinka and Půza, 1990); cell proliferation assessment-effect of an eluate on cell proliferation is measured (Cervinka and Půza, 1990); agar overlayer with neutral red uptake-both effect of eluate and direct contact with tested material with agar overlayer could be measured. Based on our results we recommended to use all three approaches simultaneously in a battery of in vitro tests.
Cervinka
M
M
Department of Cell Biology, Medical Faculty of Charles University, Simkova 870, 500 38 Hradec Králové, Czech Republic.
Půza
V
V
Hroch
M
M
Cervinková
Z
Z