BIOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF THE EFFECT OF MAGNETRON-SPUTTERED CA P COATINGS ON OSTEOBLAST-LIKE CELLS IN-VITRO/

A rat bone marrow cell culture was used to evaluate the osteogenic pot ential of amorphous and crystalline thin calcium phosphate (Ca/P) coat ings. The coatings were deposited on titanium discs using a radiofrequ ency magnetron sputter procedure. Amorphous and crystalline plasma spr ay Ca/P coated and noncoated titanium discs served as reference materi al. The cellular behavior was analyzed with quantitative (attachment a nd proliferation rates) and qualitative (scanning electron microscopy) techniques. No significant differences were found in cell attachment and proliferation rates between the various materials. Scanning electr on microscopy showed extracellular matrix formation after 18 days of c ulture on amorphous plasma-sprayed and the two types of magnetron sput tered coatings. Furthermore, no severe degradation of the magnetron sp uttered coatings was observed. They even appeared to induce apatite fo rmation. On basis of the results, we conclude that magnetron sputterin g appears to be a promising method to manufacture bioactive ceramic co atings. (C) 1995 John Wiley and Sons, Inc.