Analysis of disordered abrasive scratches on titanium surfaces and their impact on nuclear translocation of yes-associated protein

The morphology of the metallic surface of an implant is important for its contact with bone tissue as it directly affects osteoblast functions, such as cell adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation. Firm contact between the implant and cells creates a barrier that prevents inflammation and bacterial infections. Therefore, optimizing surface morphology, such as surface roughness adjustments, is essential to improving the adhesion between the implant and cells for successful tissue regeneration. However, the manner in which the cells sense the surface roughness and morphology remains unclear. Previously, we analyzed cell adhesion behavior and observed that inhibited cell spreading can delay osteoblast functions. Therefore, assuming that the surface morphology can be sensed through cell spreading, we investigated the cell spreading area and yes-associated protein (YAP) localization in mouse osteoblasts (MC3T3-E1) on a titanium surface with disordered abrasive scratches. Surface roughness of 100–150 nm was obtained by polishing, which inhibited the cell spreading, indicating that YAP localization in the nucleus was lower than that on other surfaces. The obtained results indicate that the cells sense the surface environment based on their spreading area, which regulates cellular functions via the Hippo pathway.