Titanium surfaces modified by plasma: in vitro evaluation in osteoblastic cell cultures

A current goal in implantology research has been the development of titanium surfaces to enhance the process of osseointegration, allowing functional and aesthetic rehabilitation. Modifications on topography and chemical composition have been proposed in order to regulate cell functions of the osteoblasts in contact with the implant surface and ultimately increase the bone-to-implant contact. Plasma ionic deposition is a treatment usually employed in orthopedic implants and in dentistry some studies have shown that different nitriding techniques of titanium (Ti) surfaces may affect the initial events of osseointegration, such as cell adhesion, without evaluating the late ones. This study evaluated the effect of Ti surfaces modified by plasma nitriding combined with hollow cathode, during 1 and 3 h, and planar nitriding, on the phenotype and gene expression of osteoblasts derived from human alveolar bone and newborn rat calvaria. Cell morphology, adhesion and spreading, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and synthesis, extracellular matrix mineralization and gene expression of bone markers were performed. The cell adhesion and ALP activity were higher on treated Ti surfaces compared with untreated (control) ones, while cell proliferation and extracellular matrix mineralization were not affected by the treatments. Also, compared with control Ti surface, the treated ones increased the gene expression of ALP and reduced osteocalcin (OC). The results suggest that the plasma ionic deposition by nitriding technique modifies the physicochemical features of the Ti surface and promotes a delay and a enhancement of the osteoblastic differentiation compared with untreated Ti surface. (AU)