Presenters: Natalia DeMordaunt
Authors: Natalia DeMordaunt, Aleksi Solorio, Lucy Bowden, Sandra Hope
Faculty Advisor: Sandra Hope
Institution: Brigham Young University
Finding optimal attachment of human bone osteoblasts to artificial implants is pertinent research in order to develop functional implants that will last a lifetime for patients. Two important areas of concern are supporting osteoblast growth and avoiding the formation of bacterial biofilms. Human fetal osteoblasts (hfob 1.19) were used as experimental cells to test adaptation on implant surfaces. Medical grade titanium alloy (Ti6Al4V) was tested either as a bare surface or coated with carbon-infiltrated carbon nanotubes (CICNTs). A luminescent ATP assay was used to determine the growth of both eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells on both sets of samples. The standard curve of the ATP assay determines the number of cells according to a direct correlation between the number of lysed cells on the samples and the luminescent signal from ATP release. Data showed that fewer cells were present on the bare titanium per unit area than the cells that grew on the plastic well around the sample. Both materials supported a certain level of cell growth, however the titanium sample supported more cells per unit area than the CICNT coated samples. Additionally, adherence of two common methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus(MRSA) strains (TN 112 and C1) associated with implant infection was tested. Analysis of the formation of bacterial biofilms on the two materials is still in trial. The data provides insight as to the biocompatibility of a CICNT surface coating for medical implants.