MC3T3-E1 Cell Response to Hydroxyapatite and Alpha-Type Alumina Adsorbed with Bovine Serum Albumin

MC3T3-E1 cell responses, such as cell adhesion and proliferation, to original and bovine serum albumin (BSA) coated disc (original-disc, BSA-disc) of hydroxyapatite (HA) or alpha-type alumina (α-Al2O3) was studied. There was no significant difference in the cell proliferation between BSA-discs and original-discs even after incubated for 14 days, but the cell number at day 14 tended to be higher (p = 0.054) on the BSA-discs of HA than on the original-discs of HA. Incidentally, the amount of adsorbed protein was higher on BSA-discs than on original-discs only until incubated in culture medium for 3 h. BSA adsorption might influence the MC3T3-E1 cell adhesion to HA, as a result the specific adsorption of albumin on HA is likely to affect the expression of the osteoconductivity of materials.