TESTING BONE IMPLANTS ON ALL LINES AND HU MAN OSTEOBLASTS

Two different types of cell-line and fresh human osteoblasts, cultured from cancellous bone grafts from the iliac crest, were used for the s tudy. Three different biomaterials were compared regarding biocompatib ility: titanium, steel and hydroxyapatite. The cells were fibroblast c ell line (3T3), ''osteoblast-like'' cell line (MC3T3-E1), and fresh hu man osteoblasts (HOB) which we cultured in our laboratory. 5 x 10(4) c ells of each type were seeded on the three different bone implants. Al l experiments were performed in triplicate. Cell proliferation and alk aline phosphatase activity were determined 24 and 72 h after the cells were plated on the biomaterials. Human osteoblast growth was better o n titanium than on steel and hydroxyapatite. The most remarkable obser vation was the continuously decreasing alkaline phosphatase activity ( ALP) of ''osteoblastlike'' cells (MC3T3-E1) and human osteoblasts (HOB ) on hydroxyapatite. in conclusion, our in vitro observations suggest that the best cell/material interactions were with human osteoblasts ( HOB) and titanium.