Hydrothermal Synthesis of $TiO_2$ Nanowire Array for Osteoblast Adhesion

Osteoblast is one of cells related with osseointegration and many research have conducted the adhesion of osteoblast onto the surface of implant. In the osseointegration, biocompatibility of the implant and cell adhesion to the surface are important factors. The researches related to cell adhesion have a direction from micro-scaled surface roughness to nano-scaled surface roughness with advancing nanotechnology. A cell reacts and sense to stimuli from extracellular matrix (ECM) and topography of the ECM [1]. Thus, for better osseointegration, we should provide an environment similar to ECM. In this study, we synthesize TiO2 nanowires using hydrothermal reaction because TiO2 provides inertness to titanium on its surface and enables it used as an implant material for the orthopedic treatment such as fixation of the bone fracture [2]. Ti substrate is immersed into NaOH aqueous solution. The solution are heated at $140{\sim}200^{\circ}C$ for various time (10~720 minutes). After heat treatment, we take out the sample and immerse it into HCl aqueous solution for 1 hour. The acid treated sample is heated again at $500^{\circ}C$ for 3 hours [3]. Then, we culture osteoblast on the TiO2 nanowires. For investigating cell adhesion onto nanostructured surface, we conduct several tests such as MTT assay, ALP (Alkaline phosphatase) activity assay, measuring calcium expression, and so on. These preliminary results of the cell culture on the nanowires are foundation for investigating cell-material interaction especially with nanostructure interaction.