Abstract
In this study, we examined the effect of calcium phosphate (Ca‐P) coating crystallinity and of surface roughness on growth and differentiation of osteogenic cells. Grit‐blasted titanium substrates were provided with Ca‐P coatings of different crystallinities. Rat bone marrow (RBM) cells were cultured on these substrates and on noncoated rough and smooth titanium substrates. After specific culture times, expression of osteogenic markers by the cells was studied. Cells cultured on crystalline coatings and on titanium substrates proliferate, express alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin (OC), and show mineralization of the extracellular matrix. Rough titanium substrates only express low OC levels. Significantly higher OC levels were expressed on smooth titanium, and even higher levels on the crystalline Ca‐P coating. No difference was found in calcification between smooth and rough titanium. The crystalline coating showed more calcification than the titanium substrates. When substrates without cells were incubated in medium, precipitation of calcium was found. On the titanium substrates, this precipitate disappeared after prolonged incubation. The precipitate on the crystalline coating was stable and increased with longer incubation times. On the amorphous coatings, no proliferation and differentiation of RBM cells were found. After longer culture periods, substrates showed extensive dissolution. Cells on the amorphous coatings did express high levels of prostaglandin E~2~. In contrast, prostaglandin E~2~ expression was low for the other substrates. We conclude that crystalline Ca‐P coatings stimulate differentiation of RBM cells, to a higher extent than titanium substrates. Surface roughness only has a limited effect on phenotype expression of the cells. In contrast, thin amorphous coatings show negative effects on the growth and differentiation of cultured RBM cells. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 60: 70–78, 2002