The attachment, proliferation, and wound healing of endothelial and smooth muscle cells on nitinol thin film in vitro

Nitinol (TiNi) thin film is a potentially useful material for various clinical applications, e.g., vascular stents. In this study we examined the biological functions of bovine endothelial cell (BAEC) and bovine smooth muscle cells (BSMC) on 1-μm thick amorphous TiNi films. BAEC and BSMC both attached on TiNi film, and exhibited increased cell spreading in the presence of serum containing media. Both cell types had decreased cell proliferation on TiNi as compared to glass control; however, BAEC had significantly greater proliferation rate than BSMC on TiNi. In an in vitro wound model, BSMC migrated faster than BAEC, resulting in a quicker closure of the monolayer. These results provide important insights into the interactions of vascular cells and TiNi thin film, and will help us to optimize the surface properties of TiNi film for applications in the vascular system.