Microtexturing of implant surfaces is of major relevance in the endeavor to improve biorelevant implant designs. In order to elucidate the role of biomaterial’s topography on cell physiology, obtaining quantitative correlations between cellular behavior and distinct microarchitectural properties is in great demand. Until now, the microscopically observed reorganization of the cytoskeleton on structured biomaterials has been difficult to convert into data. We used geometrically microtextured silicon-titanium arrays as a model system. Samples were prepared by deep reactive-ion etching of silicon wafers, resulting in rectangular grooves (width and height: 2 µm) and cubic pillars (pillar dimensions: 2 × 2 × 5 and 5 × 5 × 5 µm); finally sputter-coated with 100 nm titanium. We focused on the morphometric analysis of MG-63 osteoblasts, including a quantification of the actin cytoskeleton. By means of our novel software FilaQuant, especially developed for automatic actin filament recognition, we were first able to quantify the alterations of the actin network dependent on the microtexture of a material surface. The cells’ actin fibers were significantly reduced in length on the pillared surfaces versus the grooved array (4–5 fold) and completely reorganized on the micropillars, but without altering the orientation of cells. Our morpho-functional approach opens new possibilities for the data correlation of cell-material interactions.

Molecular surface gradients can constitute electric field landscapes and serve to control local cell adhesion and migration. Cellular responses to electric field landscapes may allow the discovery of routes to improve osseointegration of implants. Flat molecule aggregate landscapes of amine- or carboxyl-teminated dendrimers, amine-containing protein and polyelectrolytes were prepared on glass to provide lateral electric field gradients through their differing zeta potentials compared to the glass substrate. The local as well as the mesoscopic morphological responses of adhered osteoblasts (MG-63) with respect to the stripes were studied by means of Scanning Ion Conductance Microscopy (SICM) and Fluorescence Microscopy, in situ. A distinct spindle shape oriented parallel to the surface pattern as well as a preferential adhesion of the cells on the glass site have been observed at a stripe and spacing width of 20 $\mathsf{\mu }$m. Excessive ruffling is observed at the spindle poles, where the cells extend. To explain this effect of material preference and electro-deformation, we put forward a retraction mechanism, a localized form of double-sided cathodic taxis.