Hydrothermal treatment of laser micro-textured Ti6Al4V systems for osseointegration of orthopaedic implants

New orthopaedic implant designs, coupled with tailored surface enhancements, strive to accelerate initial bone formation by enhancing the interface with the adjacent bone tissue. In this study, we report the conceptualization and in vitro testing of Titanium 6-Aluminium 4-Vanadium (Ti6Al4V) systems, focusing on the formation of a pyramid-inspired architectural structure integrating the precision of laser surface texturing with hydrothermal treatment and biofunctionalization with human fibronectin. This configuration features micro-scaled pillars with uniform width and height, accompanied by grooves of diverse dimensions, providing spatial confinement for human mesenchymal stem cells (MSC). Textured Ti6Al4V systems were profiled in terms of physicochemical characteristics (surface roughness, chemical composition, crystalline structure, and wettability) and in vitro mineralization capacity in comparison with conventional sand-blasted, large-grit, acid-etched (SLA). Notably, textured Ti6Al4V systems exhibited robust MSC adhesion, and their mineralization capacity was on par with, or even exceeded, that of the SLA Ti6Al4V surfaces. Together, the findings presented in this work indicate that engineering pillar micro-structures with controllable dimensional features coupled with hydrothermal treatment and fibronectin coating is a promising strategy to modulate MSC activation for potential enhancement of osseointegration.