Titanium foam-bioactive nanofiber hybrids for bone regeneration.

We have reported previously a method to introduce bioactive nanofiber networks through self-assembly into the pores of titanium alloy foams for bone repair. In this study we evaluate the in vitro colonization by mouse pre-osteoblastic cells of these metal-peptide amphiphile hybrids containing phosphoserine residues and the RGDS epitope. The aim was to determine the effect of varying the RGDS epitope concentration within a given range, and confirm the ability for cells to infiltrate and survive within the nanofiber-filled interconnected porosity of the hybrid material. We performed proliferation (DNA content) and differentiation assays (alkaline phosphatase and osteopontin expression) as well as SEM and confocal microscopy to evaluate cell colonization of the hybrids. At the RGDS epitope concentrations used in the nanofiber networks, all samples demonstrated significant cell migration into the hybrids, proliferation, and differentiation into osteoblastic lineage.