Human osteoblasts exhibit sexual dimorphism in their response to estrogen on microstructured titanium surfaces.

Male and female human osteoblasts respond similarly to microstructure and 1α,25(OH)2D3 but exhibit sexual dimorphism in substrate-dependent responses to E2. E2 affected female osteoblasts, suggesting that signaling is sex-specific and surface-dependent. Donor osteoblasts varied in response, demonstrating the need to test multiple donors when examining human samples. Understanding how male and female cells respond to orthopedic biomaterials will enable greater predictability post-implantation as well as therapies that are more patient-specific.