Nitric acid passivation does not affect in vitro biocompatibility of titanium.

PURPOSE In general, both chemical composition and surface features of implants affect cell response. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of titanium (Ti) passivation on the response of rat bone marrow cells, considering cell attachment, cell morphology, cell proliferation, total protein content, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, and bonelike nodule formation. MATERIALS AND METHODS Cells were cultured on both commercially pure titanium (cpTi) and titanium-aluminium-vanadium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V) discs, either passivated or not. For attachment evaluation, cells were cultured for 4 and 24 hours. Cell morphology was evaluated after 4 days. After 7, 14, and 21 days, cell proliferation, total protein content, and ALP activity were evaluated. Bonelike nodule formation was evaluated after 21 days. Data were compared by analysis of variance and the Duncan multiple range test. RESULTS Cell attachment, cell morphology, cell proliferation, total protein content, ALP activity, and bonelike nodule formation all were unaffected by Ti composition or passivation. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION Although the protocol for passivation used here could interfere with the pattern of ions released from Ti-6Al-4V and cpTi surfaces, the present study did not show any effect of this surface treatment on in vitro biocompatibility of Ti as evaluated by osteoblast attachment, proliferation, and differentiation.