Objective To observe the growth of human periodontal ligament cell（PDLC） attaching on the surfaces of porous titanium before or after alkali treatment: To evaluate the biocompatibility of bone -like apatite. Methods Porous titanium which was made by loosening sintering was cut into pieces. Bone-like apatite formation occured on the pieces of porous titanium in the SBF after alkali treatment at 60 ℃. The morphology of the obtained coating was observed by scanning electric microscope（SEM）. The phase and structure of the coating were analyzed by X-ray diffraction. The chemical composition of the coating was analyzed by energy-dispersive spectrometry. The morphology of PDLC was observed by SEM. The cell activity was monitored with methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium assay and cytotoxicity of porous titanium was evaluated. Results After alkali treatment, uniform coating occured on the surface of porous titanium in the SBF. The coating promoted proliferation of PDLC. Conclusion Bone-like apatite has a good biocompatibility and is a suitable carrier for PDLC.
