To　determine　the　effects　of　surface　modification　on　implant　osseointegration　in　vivo,　we　first　immobilized　polydopamine　onto　70-nm　diameter　TiO2　nanotubes　as　an　intermediate　layer,　and　then　conjugated　a　21　amino　acid　peptide　sequence　(the　so-called　＂knuckle　peptide＂)　of　bone　morphogenetic　protein-2　(BMP-2)　onto　the　nanotubes　created　by　electrochemical　anodization.　We　inserted　these　implants　into　the　tibiae　of　rabbits　and　measured　the　gene　expression　and　bone　formation　around　them.　The　successful　fabrication　of　BMP-2　knuckle　peptide　was　confirmed　by　contact　angle　measurement,　X-ray　photoelectron　spectroscopy,　and　Fourier　transform　infrared　spectroscopy.　The　histological　features　and　the　amount　of　bone　fluorescence　around　the　implants　on　non-decalcified　sections　were　investigated　at　3,　5,　8,　and　12　weeks　after　implantation　using　traditional　light　and　fluorescence　microscopy,　and　the　gene　expression　of　alkaline　phosphatase,　osterix,　collagen-I,　and　tartrate-resistant　acid　phosphatase　was　examined　by　real-time　PCR　at　1,　2,　3,　4,　and　5　weeks　after　implantation.　The　results　demonstrated　a　significant　increase　in　bone-implant　contact,　quantity　of　fluorescence,　and　gene　expression　levels　of　the　bone　attached　to　implants　with　immobilized　BMP-2　knuckle　peptide　compared　with　the　other　two　control　groups.　In　conclusion,　the　surface　functionalization　of　TiO2　nanotubes　with　BMP-2　knuckle　peptide　was　beneficial　for　osseointegration　and　this　approach　could　be　further　developed　to　improve　Ti-based　implants　for　various　applications.