Evaluation of early stage human bone marrow stromal proliferation, cell migration and osteogenic differentiation on μ-MIM structured stainless steel surfaces

It is well established that surface topography greatly affect cell-surface interactions. In a recent study we showed that microstructured stainless steel surfaces characterized by the presence of defined hexagonally arranged hemisphere-like structures significantly affected cell architecture (shape and focal adhesion size) of primary human bone mesenchymal stromal cells. This study aimed at further investigating the influence these microstructures (microcline protruding hemispheres) on critical aspects of cell behaviour namely; proliferation, migration and osteogenic differentiation. As with previously reported data, we used primary human bone mesenchymal stromal cells to investigate such effects at an early stage in vitro. Cells of different patients were utilised for cell migration studies. Our data showed that an increase in cell proliferation was exhibited as a function of surface topography (hemispheres). Cell migration velocity also varied as a function of surface topography on patient specific basis and seems to relate to the differentiated state of the seeded cell population (as demonstrated by bALP positivity). Osteogenic differentiation, however, did not exhibit significant variations (both up and down-regulation) as a function of both surface topography and time in culture.