Ti-6Al-7Nb promotes cell spreading and fibronectin and osteopontin synthesis in osteoblast-like cells.

The purpose of this study was to compare the early response of human osteoblast-like cells (SaOS-2) on commercially pure titanium (cpTi) and titanium-6-aluminium-7-niobium (Ti-6Al-7Nb) using glass slide as a control. In terms of cell attachment, no significance was observed when cells were seeded on the materials. However, morphological analysis by scanning electron microscope revealed that cells on Ti-6Al-7Nb showed better spreading after 4 hrs. After 48 hrs, both Western analysis and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analyses showed that cells cultured on Ti-6Al-7Nb synthesized a higher amount of fibronectin and osteopontin as compared to cells seeded on cpTi or on glass slide. These results suggest that Ti-6Al-7Nb possess a good potential to support SaOS-2 cells on spreading and fibronectin and osteopontin synthesis, therefore, this material may be one of a candidate material used in implant dentistry.