OSTEOBLAST ATTACHMENT MONITORED WITH A QUARTZ-CRYSTAL MICROBALANCE

A quartz crystal microbalance is used in aqueous solutions to monitor the rate of attachment of osteoblasts, bone-forming cells, to the surf ace of the crystal. Changes in resonant frequency of the crystal are m easured for various surface coverages by osteoblasts. Crystal surface coverages are determined by digital image processing of scanning elect ron micrographs. A linear relationship is established between the surf ace coverages and the changes in resonant frequency of the crystal. Th e osteoblasts are observed to behave viscoelastically. Hence, the Saue rbrey equation can not be used to describe the relationship between th e change in mass of osteoblasts on the surface and the change in reson ant frequency of the crystal. Apparent viscosities at 5.0 MHz are also determined for osteoblasts.