There is general agreement that rough surfaces improve both biologic and biomechanical responses to titanium (Ti) implants. The aim of this investigation was to study the effect of Ti surface roughness on the response of human bone marrow cell culture evaluating: cell attachment, cell proliferation, total protein content, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, and bone-like nodule formation. Cells were cultured on commercially pure titanium (cpTi) discs with four different average roughnesses (Ra). For attachment evaluation, cells were cultured for 4 h. After 21 days, cell proliferation, total protein content, and ALP activity were evaluated. For bone-like nodule formation, cells were cultured for 28 days. Data were compared by ANOVA and Duncan's multiple range test. Cell attachment was not affected by surface roughness. For cells cultured on Ti with Ra ranging from 0.80 µm to 1.90 µm, proliferation was reduced while total protein content, and ALP activity were increased. There was a non-statistically significant increase of bone-like nodule formation on a surface with Ra near 0.80 µm. These results suggest that for Ti an Ra ranging from 0.80 µm to 1.90 µm would optimize both intermediary and final cellular responses but not affect the initial response, and a smoother surface would not favor any evaluated response.
surface roughness; titanium; human bone marrow; cell culture; biocompatibility
