Optimization of Phosphatidylserine-Modified Titanium Surfaces for Enhanced Osteoblast Response

This report is part of a continued effort to evaluate the in vitro osteoblast responses on different phospholipid coatings on Titanium (Ti) implant materials. It has been established that, among analogous phopholipids, the Ti surfaces coated with calcium phosphate (CaP) complex of phosphatidylserine induce the best calcium deposition and osteoblast growth and metabolism. This communication describes an effort to optimize the chemical structure of phosphatidylserine at its position−1 and −2, as Ti surface coating relative to enhancement in osteoblast differentiation and growth in culture. Four synthetic phosphatidylserine analogs with varying fatty acyl chain length and unsaturation were converted to CaP complex, coated on Ti discs, and the osteoblast progenitor cells were cultured on them for up to 14 days to study their differentiation, growth and biochemistry as marked by the expression of alkaline phosphatase specific activity and protein production. In a separate experiment, the topography of the glass surface (glass Petri-dishes) coated the analogous phosphatidylserines, after immersion in simulated body fluid, was examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The presence of calcium and phosphate ions in this deposit was also confirmed. The inclusion of unsaturation in fatty acyl chain in phosphatidylserine enhanced the Total protein production (TPP) as well as the alkaline phosphatase (ALP) specific activity.