Osteoclast-mediated resorption on additively manufactured porous metal and plasma-sprayed HA-coated Ti implants

Load-bearing bone substitutes must be designed to stimulate bone formation and allow crosstalk between the two primary skeletal cells, bone-forming osteoblasts, and bone-resorbing osteoclasts. Compared to the dense implants, surface-modified, additively manufactured porous implants have shown osteogenic potential. Surface modification of metal implants by plasma-sprayed hydroxyapatite (HA) coating, show better clinical applicability due to their significant osteogenic potential, through better osteoblast proliferation and osseointegration. This study investigates additively manufactured porous metallic surface and plasma-sprayed HA-coated Ti on the proliferation and differentiation of monocytic cells into osteoclasts and their resorptive activity. Our results reveal that porous Ti6Al4V and porous Ta enhanced TRAP activity, compared to the control (p < 0.05). Similarly, plasma-sprayed HA-coated Ti implants also showed enhanced osteoclast-mediated resorption activity after 10 and 20 days of culture (p < 0.05). Osteoclast cell morphology was noted on both porous metal implants and HA-coated Ti, confirming their bone remodeling capability, essential for bone repair and regeneration.