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Experimental and Computational Investigation into Osteocyte Differentiation
C. Mullen, L. M. McNamara
Dept. Mechanical & Biomedical Engineering, NUI Galway
c.mullen4@nuigalway.ie
Abstract
Biological cells are responsive to the surrounding
mechanical environment they experience in the body, and
this environment dictates cell behaviour within the body.
The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of
substrate stiffness and cell seeding density on on the
differentiation of MC3T3 cells (a pre-osteoblast model)
into mature osteocytes.
1. Introduction
It is known that the extra-cellular mechanical
environment plays a crucial role in regulating the growth
and activity of many biological cells 1 . Osteocytes are cells
that live within our bones, which are derived from bone’s
building cells - osteoblasts. These cells have undergone
major changes in structure and gene expression from
osteoblasts, including the development of long extensions
of the cell body, known as cell processes (or dendrites), to
contact neighboring cells. However, it is not yet clear
what mechanical environment regulates the change from
an osteoblast to an osteocyte. The objective of this study
is to use experimental and computational methods to
understand how the mechanical environment triggers
osteoblast cells to change their structure and gene
expression to become osteocytes.
2. Methods
Osteoblast (MC3T3) cells were plated at 10 3 , 10 4 and
10 5 /cm 2 on type 1collagen coated coverslips of ligand
density 100 g/cm 2 . The collagen was neutralised
according to the manufacturer’s protocol using either
NaOH, causing the collagen to form a soft gel (E