J. Mater. Sci. Technol. ›› 2025, Vol. 213: 276-287.DOI: 10.1016/j.jmst.2024.05.072

• Research Article • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Ordered structures with Schottky heterojunction functional unit regulate immune response and osteogenesis

Peng Yua,1,*, Maofei Rana,1, Heying Rana,1, Xuebin Yangc, Youzhun Fana, Zhengao Wanga, Zhengnan Zhoua, Jinxia Zhaia, Zefeng Linb,*, Chengyun Ninga   

  1. aSchool of Material Science and Engineering, National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, Guangdong Engineering Technology Research Center of Metallic Materials Surface Functionalization, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641, PR China;
    bGuangdong Key Lab of Orthopedic Technology and Implant, General Hospital of Southern Theater Command of PLA, Guangzhou 510010, PR China;
    cBiomaterials and Tissue Engineering Group, School of Dentistry, University of Leeds, Leeds LS97TF, UK
  • Received:2024-04-11 Revised:2024-05-11 Accepted:2024-05-14 Published:2025-04-01 Online:2025-04-01
  • Contact: *E-mail addresses: imyup@scut.edu.cn (P. Yu), lzefeng_scut@126.com (Z. Lin).
  • About author:1These authors contributed equally to this work.

Abstract: Mimicking the electric microenvironment of natural tissue is a promising strategy for developing biomedical implants. However, current research has not taken biomimetic electrical functional units into consideration when designing biomedical implants. In this research, ordered structures with Schottky heterojunction functional unit (OSSH) were constructed on titanium implant surfaces for bone regeneration regulation. The Schottky heterojunction functional unit is composed of periodically distributed titanium microdomain and titanium oxide microdomain with different carrier densities and surface potentials. The OSSH regulates the M2-type polarization of macrophages to a regenerative immune response by activating the PI3K-AKT-mTOR signal pathway and further promotes osteogenic differentiation of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. This work provides fundamental insights into the biological effects driven by the Schottky heterojunction functional units that can electrically modulate osteogenesis.

Key words: Ordered structures with functional unit, Macrophage, Implant, Osteogenesis, Electric microenvironment