Titanium (Ti) is one of the most widely used implant materials in dentistry. The major biological factor that contributes to implant success is osseointegration between the implant and surrounding tissues. Serum proteins are the first host layer, which coats the Ti surface during implant insertion. Although the sequence of events that leads to osseointegration is not fully understood, it is clear that the initial interactions between Ti and host serum proteins are crucial for the success of the implant process. The aim of the present study was to explore the effect of modified Ti surfaces on the adsorption and desorption of albumin. Ti disks with differently treated surfaces were used. The roughnesses of the Ti disks’ surfaces were measured according to the American National Standard Institute and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ANSI/ASME). The Ti surfaces were analyzed by Scanning Electron Microscopy. The disks were coated with mixtures of human serum albumin (HSA) and fluorescence marked HSA (1:40) then removed by SDS treatment in 90°C for different periods of time. Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM) was used for both visualization and quantitation of the coated surfaces and removal kinetics. The results indicate significant differences in both absorption and desorption of HSA on the different Ti surfaces. After 15 minutes almost all of the HSA was removed from machined surface, while in aluminum blast and acid etched specimens less HSA could be removed. The degree of surface roughens was correlated to adsorption and desorption kinetics of HSA. A homogenic coat of HSA could be observed on the machined Ti surfaces, while on the other surfaces an aggregation - like coating of HAS could be seen.
Human serum proteins were kindly supplied by Omrix Biopharmaceuticals LtD.