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Tuning of Titanium Microfiber Scaffold with UV-Photofunctionalization for Enhanced Osteoblast Affinity and Function
Chika Iwasaki1,2, Makoto Hirota1,3, Miyuki Tanaka1,2
1Weintraub Center for Reconstructive Biotechnology, Division of Advanced Prosthodontics, UCLA School of Dentistry, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1668, USA.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences
|January 26, 2020
Summary
UV treatment enhances titanium microfiber scaffolds for bone engineering. This process improves liquid and cell infiltration, boosting osteoblast attachment and function for better bone regeneration.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Tissue Engineering
- Surface Chemistry
Background:
- Titanium (Ti) is a common biomaterial for bone and dental implants due to its osteoconductivity.
- Ti microfiber scaffolds offer potential for bone engineering but face challenges with liquid/cell infiltration and attachment due to hydrophobicity.
- UV-photofunctionalization is a novel surface modification technique for titanium.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of UV-photofunctionalization on titanium microfiber scaffolds for bone engineering.
- To assess the effects of UV treatment on scaffold hydrophilicity, cell attachment, and osteogenic cell function.
- To explore the underlying mechanisms, including surface chemistry changes, responsible for enhanced cell behavior.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of titanium microfiber scaffolds from grade 4 pure Ti microfibers.
- Surface modification of scaffolds via acid-etching and UV-photofunctionalization.
- Assessment of scaffold wettability using glycerol/water infiltration.
- Culture of rat femoral and mandibular bone marrow-derived osteogenic cells on scaffolds.
- Evaluation of cell attachment, cytoskeletal development, focal adhesion protein expression, alkaline phosphatase activity, and calcium mineralization.
Main Results:
- UV-treated titanium scaffolds exhibited enhanced hydrophilicity and immediate liquid absorption.
- UV treatment significantly increased osteogenic cell attachment (3-10 times) within 24 hours.
- Enhanced cytoskeletal development and focal adhesion protein expression were observed on UV-treated scaffolds.
- Osteoblastic functional phenotypes, including alkaline phosphatase activity and calcium mineralization, were significantly improved (2-15 times) on UV-treated scaffolds.
- UV treatment led to a reduction in atomic carbon on the titanium surfaces.
Conclusions:
- UV-photofunctionalization effectively improves the physicochemical properties of titanium microfiber scaffolds.
- This surface modification strategy significantly enhances osteoblast attachment and function, crucial for bone regeneration.
- UV-treated titanium microfiber scaffolds represent a promising approach for advanced bone engineering applications.
