Surface roughness, porosity, and texture as modifiers of cellular adhesion.

Substrate topography in the micrometer range is reviewed as a modifier of the response of cultured cells and of biocompatibility when implanted into tissues. Characterization methods for substrate topography are discussed, including scanning electron microscopy, profilometry, laser scanning, and confocal microscopy. Because of the current technical limitations in reproducing micron-level topographic details, only one method, ion-beam etching, has been found suitable for texturing substrates on nonplanar surfaces.