The chemical and topographic effects of commercially pure titanium on cell morphology and the regulation of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) gene expression, synthesis, and activity were investigated in early passage human gingival fibroblasts. Scanning electron microscopy showed that on smooth titanium (Ti), fibroblasts remained well spread and randomly oriented throughout the culture period. In contrast, cells on V-shaped grooved titanium (VTi) were oriented along the grooves by 16 h and proliferated in this organization throughout the culture period. The effects of substratum surface chemistry on MMP-2 expression were found to be distinct from those of topography. Northern hybridization analysis of fibroblasts cultured on Ti revealed an MMP-2 mRNA time-course expression pattern parallel to that observed on the tissue culture plastic (TCP) dishes, but at significantly lower levels at each timepoint. The Ti mRNA levels were decreased by 34% at 16 h, 55% at 40 h, and 45% at 90 h relative to TCP. In contrast, MMP-2 mRNA expression on VTi showed both an altered time-course expression pattern and altered levels compared to Ti and TCP. Relative to TCP, VTi MMP-2 mRNA levels were โผ80% less at 16 h and โผ50% less at 40 h, but not significantly different at 90 h. Relative to Ti, VTi MMP-2 mRNA levels were โผ75% less at 16 h, but โผ40% greater at 40 h and โผ70% greater at 90 h. These differences may be explained in part by the observed changes in MMP-2 mRNA half-life which decreased by โผ40% on Ti but increased by over fourfold on VTi relative to TCP. The smooth Ti also showed an approximate twofold increase of MMP-2 secretion in the late cultures over TCP controls. These results indicate that substratum surface chemistry and topography-induced changes in cell shape can alter MMP-2 expression in normal fibroblasts. The molecular approach to investigating the major molecules involved in tissue degradation may provide sensitive indicators of tissue remodeling at the tissue-biomaterial interface.