title: Guided gingival fibroblast attachment to titanium surfaces: an in vitro study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the potential of gingival fibroblasts to attach in a predetermined linear orientation to a nano-topography of aligned fibres on titanium surfaces and determine the ability of such cells to deposit aligned collagen fibre matrix.
  
  
  METHODS
  smooth glass and rough titanium substrates were coated with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) nano-fibres. Ammonia plasma treatment was used to modify the surface chemistry. Human gingival fibroblasts were cultured on substrates and orientation and collagen deposition was assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Straight, unidirectional, parallel PTFE nano-fibres were deposited over the titanium features. By 7 days, the majority of cells were observed to orient to untreated fibres despite the presence of competing titanium surface features. On plasma-treated fibre-coated titanium substrates, cell orientation was mixed. On uncoated substrates, the majority of cells oriented to the titanium surface features. On fibre-coated glass substrates, cells oriented themselves with untreated and plasma-treated fibres and secreted collagen in the same direction after 1 week. On uncoated glass substrates, there was no preferred direction of collagen orientation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Polytetrafluoroethylene nano-fibres induced cell and collagen orientation. Surface chemistry appeared only to affect cell behaviour at early time points. An implant surface that controls cell orientation may also influence the orientation of collagen, providing improved gingival support.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Ageing and Chronic Disease, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK. vkearns@liverpool.ac.uk
authors.forename: Victoria R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Kearns
authors.forename: Rachel L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Felora
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mirvakily
authors.forename: Patrick J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Doherty
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Martin
mesh_terms: D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D015921:Dental Implants; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000502:physiology; D005881:Gingiva / Q000166:cytology; D005898:Glass; D006801:Humans; D057139:Nanofibers; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000601:surgery*; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene; D013499:Surface Properties; D014025:Titanium
chemical_list: D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D015921:Dental Implants; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene; D003094:Collagen; D014025:Titanium