We report a novel material that appears to stimu-the cells were grown in the presence of MTA at 144 h, with late cytokine production in human osteoblasts and allow raised values at all time intervals. M-CSF appeared to be good adherence of the cells to the material. We have exam-unaffected although the overall value was high (7,045.0 ฯฎ ined cultured osteoblasts (MG-63) in the presence of mineral 89.5 pg/mL). In contrast, cells grown in the absence of MTA trioxide aggregate (MTA) as set in moist conditions; sec-produced negligible amounts of these cytokines (ฯฝ pg/mL) ondly, we examined the behavior of these MG-63 cells with as did those cells grown in the presence of PMA. Osteocalcin respect to cytokine and osteocalcin production and alkaline production increased when cells were grown on MTA from phosphatase activity. Standard ELISA assays were used for 3.8 ฯฎ 0.87 ng/mL to 19.7 ฯฎ 2.8 ng/mL. No osteocalcin assessment of interleukin (IL)-1โฃ, IL-1โค, IL-6, macrophage could be detected with PMA. Cells in contact with MTA also colony stimulating factor (M-CSF), and osteocalcin. Further-appeared to have levels of alkaline phosphatase similar to more the levels of alkaline phosphatase were measured to those reported elsewhere (4.3 ฯฎ 0.21 mol/mg protein/ establish the level of differentiation of the cells. Cells without min). No cells could be found attached to PMA and so no MTA served as controls. Cells also were grown in the pres-alkaline phosphatase activity could be measured. ยฉ 1997 ence of polymethylmethacrylate (PMA), the commonly used John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 37, 432-439, 1997. orthopedic cement. In all dishes cells were seen adhering to the base and MTA at 6 h and had increased to confluence Key words: interleukin 1; interleukin 6; osteoblasts; osteoat 144 h. IL-1โฃ (175.1 ฯฎ 32.6 pg/mL), IL-1โค (154.0 ฯฎ 26.7 calcin; mineral trioxide aggregate pg/mL), and IL-6 (214.7 ฯฎ 21.8 pg/mL) were raised when Correspondence to: F. McDonald that produces 85-90% dahlite. 6 Other more organic replacements have used extracts of bone powder now identified as containing such protein growth factors