The extension of pulsed laser deposition to the synthesis on Ti substrates of P-tricalcium phosphate (beta-TCP) coatings doped with manganese is reported. Targets sintered from two crystalline Mn-doped beta-TCP powders (with the composition Ca2.9Mn0.1 (PO4)(2) and Ca2.8Mn0.2(PO4)(2)) were ablated with an UV KrF* (lambda = 248 nm, tau similar to 7 ns) laser source. X-ray diffraction and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy investigations showed that the films, while prevalently amorphous, had a Ca/P ratio of about 1.50-1.52. Scanning electron microscopy analyses revealed a rather homogeneous aspect of the coatings which were molded to the relief of the chemically etched Ti substrate. Fluorescence microscopy was applied to test the proliferation of mesenchymal stem cells grown on the obtained biostructures. Our investigations found that, even 14 days after cultivation, the synthesized films were not cytotoxic. On the contrary, they showed excellent bioactivity, as demonstrated by the neat spread of the cells over the entire surface of Mn-doped beta-TCP When tested in osteoprogenitor cell culture, the Ca2.8Mn0.2(PO4)(2) samples revealed a higher potential for proliferation and better viability compared with Ca2.9Mn0.1 (PO4)(2). (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.