Modular Ti-6Al-4V system for the in vitro optimization of implant material

Charlotte Von Heckel^*Heike WallesGeorg HasemannManja Krüger

• Otto-von-Guericke-Universitat Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany

Titanium is a widely used biomaterial for implants. Research is focused on optimizing the material by modifying its surface structure and porosity to prevent complications such as implant loosening or foreign body reactions. However, changes to implant materials require preclinical testing, often involving animal testing, which gives rise to ethical concerns. This underscores the significant demand for test systems that can reduce time and costs. Although in vitro models can provide valuable initial insights into the biological evaluation of biomaterials and help reduce the need for animal experiments in this area, dedicated test systems for biomaterials remain limited. In our work, we developed modular 3D porous stacked models using Ti-6Al-4V sheets with different structural designs. These models are used to demonstrate the migration of primary human fibroblasts into the implant through fluorescence microscopy and investigate the effects of the pore size. In addition, the Ti alloy sheets with slots were polished and grinded (1200 grid SiC) to examine differences in cell adhesion and migration for different surface properties. The MTT results indicate similar cell growth on the different patterns and surface conditions, which suggests the use of more biomimetic structures in the future. Consequently, our model serves as a screening system for the optimization of porosity and surface conditions of implant materials, which contributes to early-stage in vitro biocompatibility and cell migration studies.