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Address correspondence to: Steven Vermeulen, MSc, Laboratory for Cell Biology-inspired Tissue Engineering, MERLN Institute, University of Maastricht, P.O. Box 616, Maastricht 6200 MD, The Netherlands, E-mail: s.vermeulen@maastrichtuniversity.nl
Introduction
Surface micro/nano-topography is increasingly recognized as an important element in the design of medical implants to obtain the intended functionality. Cell-material interaction is not only influenced by chemistry, but is also dependent on the physical events occurring at the cell-material interface. Various studies have shown the effect of surface topography on cell fate decision in vitro.1-4 Many attempts have been made to modify implant surface for better biocompatibility and integration of the host tissue.5-7
Surface topography is no stranger in the field of bone tissue engineering. As mentioned in the review of Wennerberg and Albrektsson,8 as early as the beginning of the 1980s, surface structure was identified as one of the factors particularly important for the incorporation of implants into bone. Rougher surfaces had a more beneficial effect for osteointegration over smooth surfaces, due to the larger surface area of the former.9
Later, advances in micro and nanotechnology enabled researchers to create precision-designed surface topography, starting a new field of material surface topography. Dalby et al. used electron beam lithography to fabricate nanoscale topographical surfaces featuring 120-nm-diameter, 100-nm-deep nanopits placing from highly ordered symmetries to somewhat random placements.2 Interestingly, they discovered that the random-placed nanopit topography stimulated human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) to produce bone mineral in vitro without...