Cyclic mechanical strain alters the expression of procoagulant activity by rat osteosarcoma cells cultured on titanium substrates

Rat osteosarcoma cells (ROS) were cultured on titanium (Ti6Al4V), subjected to cyclic strain in a four-point bending apparatus, and subsequently assayed for surface tissue factor (TF) activity. TF, a transmembrane glycoprotein, plays a critical role in the initiation of blood coagulation at sites of vascular injury and also participates in the inflammatory response. Thus, surface TF activity is indicative of the procoagulant properties of cells and those cells´ ability to regulate the inflammatory response. In this study, the authors have shown that surface TF activity in ROS decreases with increasing stimulation time. Surface TF activity also depended on the form of applied strain. Strains were varied between +0.2% and -0.2% with maximum surface TF activity occurring at ±0.1%