Fabrication, Characterization and Cell Adhesion of a Cu-doped Microarc Oxidation Film on a Titanium Surface

Compared with other metal implant materials, titanium has become the preferred material for hard tissue substitutes and restorations. However, titanium implants are bioinert and cannot effectively promote adhesion or proliferation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) after implantation in vivo. In this study, a microporous Cu-doped titanium dioxide (Cu-TiO2) film was prepared on a titanium surface via microarc oxidation. This film not only has a good porous surface morphology, with Cu distributed on the surface of the film, but also improves the surface roughness and hydrophilicity of titanium. In vitro cell experiments revealed that the Cu-TiO2 film has good biocompatibility and bioactivity and enables adhesion and growth of BMSCs. In addition, the Cu-TiO2 film can promote the expression of integrin β1 in BMSCs. This study enhances our understanding of the interactions between titanium implants and cells and provides a theoretical basis for the clinical application of Cu-TiO2 films.