Published online by Cambridge University Press: 15 February 2011
Questions remain as to the integrity of hydroxyapatite (HA) coatings on orthopaedic implants and the possibility of failure at the coating/implant interface in vivo. Previous investigations of resorbable HA coated implants showed bone bonding strengths equal to non-resorbable HA coated surfaces in interference fit surgical model. If the concept of a resorbing coating will alleviate concerns of interface failure, further investigation as to the mode of coating resorption and the cellular events at the interface are required. The effect of coating these implants with Matrigel, as a means to enhance bone cell attachment and growth was studied. Fibroblast cell behavior on resorbable, non-resorbable HA coated and uncoated rough titanium implants were studied at 4 and 24 hours for attachment and spreading. Postnatal rat calvarial cell attachment, growth and morphology studies were also performed on these three implants and on tissue culture plates with and without Matrigel at 2, 7, and 10 days. Resorbable HA coatings showed greater surface activity and cell spreading, but not greater cell attachment at 4 and 24 hours. Greater alkaline phosphatase production per cell was seen on Matrigel coated tissue culture plates than uncoated wells. Cytoplasmic processes similar to osteocytic canalicular networks were seen. Matrigel coating on the three types of implants showed slightly greater alkaline phosphatase production of cells than without Matrigel coating.