[The study on biocompatibility of diamond-like carbon coated nickel-titanium shape memory alloy with osteoblasts cultured in vitro].

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the biocompatibility of diamond-like carbon (DLC) coated Nickel-Titanium shape memory alloy with osteoblasts cultured in vitro.

METHODS

Rabbit's osteoblasts were incubated with DLC-coated Nickel-Titanium shape memory alloy disks and uncoated ones of equal size for 5 days. The control group (without shape memory alloy in culture media) was performed simultaneously. The cultured cells were counted and graphed. The samples from culture media were collected and the concentrations of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and nickel (Ni2+) were measured from the 1st to 5th day respectively.

RESULTS

The proliferation of osteoblasts and the concentration of ALP in both DLC-coated group and control group was higher than uncoated group. The proliferation of osteoblasts on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th day in both DLC-coated group and control group was significantly higher than that in the uncoated group (P < 0.05). The concentration of ALP in DLC-coated group on the 2nd, 3rd, and 5th day and in the control group on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th day was significantly higher than that in the uncoated group (P < 0.05). The concentration of Ni2+ on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th day was significantly lower than that in the uncoated group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

DLC- coated Nickel-Titanium shape memory alloys appears to have better biocompatibility with osteoblast cultured in vitro compared to uncoated ones.