Behavior of endothelial cells on micro-patterned titanium oxide fabricated by plasma immersion ion implantation and deposition and plasma etching

Titanium oxide films synthesized by plasma immersion ion implantation and deposition (PIII&D) were micro-patterned using argon plasma etching. Wells containing organized arrays of square holes of different depths separated by gaps of 25 μm were produced on the surface of the titanium oxide by etching for 30, 60, 90, and 120 min. The surface wettability and tension of the samples were evaluated. Human umbilical vein endothelial (HUVE) cells were cultured on both smooth and patterned surfaces. The effects of surface micro-patterning on the behavior of the HUVE cells were investigated. Our results show that the titanium oxide prepared by PIII&D has good cyto-compatibility and the micro-patterns influence both the surface energy and cell behavior. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of using micro-patterned surfaces to modulate HUVE cell behavior.