Résumé
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the biocompatibility of polystyrene, titanium, and A-W ceramic focusing on the affinity of osteoblasts to the metals. Human osteoblasts were cultivated with each material (group I : polystyrene; group II :titanium; and group III:A-W ceramic) for seven days. Serial scanning electromicroscopic (SEM) examination and quantitative analysis of cellular protein synthesis were performed in each group of material. SEM examination showed that at the first day, the osteoblasts in group II and group III had longer and abundant cytoplasmic spindles than those in group 1. At the seventh day, the particulate networks (diameter 1-2 urn) were observed on the surfaces of osteoblasts in group I and group II but not in group III. In all groups, the amount of protein synthesis tended to increase with days of culture. Furthermore the actual amount was significantly larger in the orders of group III, group II, and group I (p<0.05, in all comparisons). This in vitro study suggests that when other factors are controlled, the superior affinity of human osteoblast to A-W ceramic might be attributable to the better biocompatibility than that of titanium and polystyrene.