Implant surface characteristics modulate differentiation behavior of cells in the osteoblastic lineage.

This paper reviews the role of surface roughness in the osteogenic response to implant materials. Cells in the osteoblast lineage respond to roughness in cell-maturation-specific ways, exhibiting surface-dependent morphologies and growth characteristics. MG63 cells, a human osteoblast-like osteosarcoma cell line, respond to increasing surface roughness with decreased proliferation and increased osteoblastic differentiation. Alkaline phosphatase activity and osteocalcin production are increased. Local factor production is also affected; production of both TGF-beta 1 and PGE2 is increased. On rougher surfaces, MG63 cells exhibit enhanced responsiveness to 1,25-(OH)2D3. Prostaglandins mediate the effects of surface roughness, since indomethacin prevents the increased expression of differentiation markers in these cells.