The attachment mechanism of epithelial cells to titanium in vitro

It has previously been difficult to examine the nature of the attachment between tissues and metal implants. To resolve this problem, a technique has been developed in which oral epithelial cells are grown on very thin films of titanium on epoxy resin. Discs of epon/araldite were formed by polymerizing the liquid resin in 60 mm tissue culture dishes. Discs were then placed in a vacuum deposition chamber and titanium wire vaporized onto the surface to a final thickness of about 300Å. Discs were cleaned in acetone and 70 % alcohol before being placed in plastic culture dishes and plated with epithelial cells cultured from porcine periodontal ligament in MEM plus 15 % calf serum and antibiotics for fourteen days. Cultures were fixed in situ in 2.5 % glutaraldehyde, post-fixed in OsO₄ and epon/ araldite polymerized on the surface of the discs. Thin sections were cut perpendicular to the surface and examined in the electron microscope. Results show that the epithelial cells attach to the titanium surface by means of basal lamina and hemidesmosomes, in much the same manner in which the epithelial attachment is applied to the surface of a tooth.