Differential expression of non-canonical wnts during osteoblast differentiation on 3-dimensional additively manufactured constructs

Orthopaedic and dental implant retention rates decrease in patients with one or a combination of risk factors such as age, diabetes or smoking status, or trauma resulting in reduced bone density. Therefore, there is a growing clinical need to create implants with material properties that promote accelerated osseointegration and reduced recovery time in compromised bone. One method to enhance this predictability is to increase the degree of osseointegration through additively manufactured (AM) implants possessing 3-dimensional (3D) macro-porosity. Osseointegration is the structural and functional connection of a titanium (Ti) implant with natural bone and AM 3D implants have been shown to enhance this functional connection with native tissue through increased mechanical stability and stimulation of bone in-growth. Osteogenesis around and into the macro-porosity of a placed implant requires the migration of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and MSC differentiation into osteoblasts (OBs) to secrete and mineralize organic matrix. Our lab and others have shown Ti surfaces possessing microtextured topographies direct MSC differentiation into OBs without the addition of exogenous media supplements via a process involving non-canonical Wnt signaling. Therefore, in the present study, we examine the signaling mechanisms during the differentiation of pre-osteoblasts on 3D AM constructs in vitro.