Abstract
Staphylococcus epidermidis (RP12) adhesion patterns were studied on the following titanium (Ti)-aluminium (Al)-vanadium (V) metal systems: (i) microfabricated samples consisting of Ti, AI and V islands deposited onto Ti or V substrata, (ii) pure Ti, AI and V metals, and (ill) medical grade Ti6AI4-V alloy. All of these surfaces were covered with their respective oxides formed upon exposure of the metals to air. Quantitative analysis of the number of cells bound per unit area indicates that S. epidermidis (RP12) exhibits greatest adhesion to pure V surfaces. When exposed to surfaces having controlled spatial variations in chemical composition on the μm scale (microfabricated samples), the bacteria preferentially populate V islands versus Ti or AI substrata. In the case of the biphasic Ti6AI4V alloy, the bacteria tend to adhere to V-rich, mixed phase regions and phase boundaries. These findings demonstrate that enhanced and preferential adhesion of S. epidermidis (RP12) occurs on V surfaces in Ti-AI-V metal systems and suggest that bacterial interactions are influenced by surface oxide composition.
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