Abstract: Objective: To investigate the effect of titanium surface scale structures on the cell viability and os-teogenic differentiation in periodontal ligament cells(PDLCs). Methods: Alkali heat treatment at high and low temperatures were utilized to nano-modify sandblasted titanium with microtopographical surfac-es, compared with microtopographical surfaces of conventional sandblast-acid etching and smooth surface in titanium control. PDLCs were seeding on these four titanium discs, and the cell viability, total protein values and alkaline phosphatase(ALP) activity were examined at 7 days. qRT-PCR was used to detect mRNA expression of ALP, collagen-I (COL1) and runt related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2) at 7 days. The date was statistically analyzed with SPSS13.0 software package. Results: Compared with Ti control and sandblast-acid etching surfaces, PDLCs on the micro-nanotopographical surface discs in alkali heat treatment at high temperatures group and low temperatures group exhibited enhanced cell viability, in-creased total protein values, up-regulated ALP activity and overexpression of ALP, COL1 and RUNX2 levels. Conclusion: Micro-nanotopographical surface of titanium implant promotes cell viability and os-teogenic differentiation of PDLCs.

Key words: human periodontal ligament cells, scale structures of titanium surface, osteogenic differ-entiation, micro-nanotopographical surface