Metallic biomaterials, including traditional bioinert
materials
(such as stainless steel, cobalt–chromium alloys, pure titanium,
and titanium alloys), novel biodegradable metals (such as pure magnesium
and magnesium alloys, pure zinc and zinc alloys, and pure iron and
iron alloys), and biomedical metallic glasses, have been widely used
and studied as various biomedical implants and devices. Many scientists
and researchers have investigated their superior biomechanical properties,
corrosion behavior, and biocompatibility. However, their surface characteristics
are of extreme importance due to continuing interactions between the
surface/interface of an implanted metallic biomaterial and the surrounding
physiological environment. Surface morphologies on these metallic
biomaterials can modulate their in vitro and in vivo biological responses. In this review, we have summarized
and investigated the effect of various surface morphologies on the
corrosion behavior, cellular response, antibacterial activity, and
osteogenesis of biomedical metallic materials. In addition, future
research directions and challenges of surface morphologies on biomedical
metallic materials have been elaborated. This review can lay a theoretical
and practical foundation for further research and development on biomedical
metallic materials.