Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 30, 2026
Primary Culture of Dental Pulp Stem Cells
Published on: May 5, 2023
Effect of Ultraviolet Photofunctionalization of Sandblasted and Acid-Etched Titanium Surfaces on Dental Pulp Stem
Kranti Chavare1, Yogesh Khadtare1, Vidya Dodwad1
1Department of Periodontology, Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to Be University) Dental College and Hospital, Pune, IND.
Background:
Titanium implant surface bioactivity plays an important role in early cellular events associated with osseointegration. Sandblasted and acid-etched (SLA) surfaces improve cell-surface interaction, but biological aging may reduce their activity over time. Ultraviolet (UV) photofunctionalization has been proposed as a method to improve titanium surface bioactivity and enhance cellular response.
Aim:
This study aimed to evaluate and compare the viability, proliferation, osteogenic differentiation, mineralization, and osteogenic gene expression of dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) cultured on UV-pretreated and UV-untreated SLA titanium discs.
Methods:
Human DPSCs were isolated from extracted third molars and characterized by flow cytometry. Three groups were evaluated: control, UV-untreated SLA titanium discs, and UV-treated SLA titanium discs. Cell viability was assessed using the MTT assay, proliferation by cell counting, morphology by confocal microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, osteogenic differentiation by RUNX2 expression and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, mineralization by Alizarin Red S staining, and gene expression by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction for RUNX2, osteocalcin (OCN), and osteopontin (OPN).
Results:
UV-treated SLA titanium showed significantly higher viability at 72 hours than UV-untreated SLA titanium and control groups, with values of 98.11% ± 0.78%, 96.11% ± 0.92%, and 94.22% ± 1.20%, respectively. Day 7 proliferation was also highest in the UV-treated group. RUNX2 expression, ALP activity, mineralization, and RUNX2, osteocalcin, and OPN gene expression were significantly greater in the UV-treated group, with all intergroup comparisons showing p < 0.001.
Conclusion:
UV photofunctionalization enhanced the in vitro biological and osteogenic response of DPSCs on SLA titanium surfaces.
