Significantly accelerated osteoblast cell growth on aligned TiO2 nanotubes

Abstract Vertically aligned yet laterally spaced nanoscale TiO 2 nanotubes have been grown on Ti by anodization, and the growth of MC3T3‐E1 osteoblast cells on such nanotubes has been investigated. The adhesion/propagation of the osteoblast is substantially improved by the topography of the TiO 2 nanotubes with the filopodia of growing cells actually going into the nanotube pores, producing an interlocked cell structure. The presence of the nanotube structure induced a significant acceleration in the growth rate of osteoblast cells by as much as ∼300–400%. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2006