CC BY 4.0 UnportedGruening, MartinaNeuber, SvenNestler, PeterLehnfeld, JuttaDubs, ManuelaFricke, KatjaSchnabelrauch, MatthiasHelm, Christiane A.Müller, RainerStaehlke, SusanneNebe, J. Barbara2021-10-282021-10-282020https://oa.tib.eu/renate/handle/123456789/7134https://doi.org/10.34657/6181Electrostatic forces at the cell interface affect the nature of cell adhesion and function; but there is still limited knowledge about the impact of positive or negative surface charges on cell-material interactions in regenerative medicine. Titanium surfaces with a variety of zeta potentials between −90 mV and +50 mV were generated by functionalizing them with amino polymers, extracellular matrix proteins/peptide motifs and polyelectrolyte multilayers. A significant enhancement of intracellular calcium mobilization was achieved on surfaces with a moderately positive (+1 to +10 mV) compared with a negative zeta potential (−90 to −3 mV). Dramatic losses of cell activity (membrane integrity, viability, proliferation, calcium mobilization) were observed on surfaces with a highly positive zeta potential (+50 mV). This systematic study indicates that cells do not prefer positive charges in general, merely moderately positive ones. The cell behavior of MG-63s could be correlated with the materials’ zeta potential; but not with water contact angle or surface free energy. Our findings present new insights and provide an essential knowledge for future applications in dental and orthopedic surgery. © Copyright © 2020 Gruening, Neuber, Nestler, Lehnfeld, Dubs, Fricke, Schnabelrauch, Helm, Müller, Staehlke and Nebe.enghttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/570amino polymercalcium ion signalinghuman osteoblastspolyelectrolyte multilayersurface chargetitanium surface modificationwettabilityzeta potentialArticle