Three-dimensional culturing models for bone development

TL;DR: It is concluded that in-vitro 3D cultures of human osteoblasts can promote further differentiation up to mineral deposition, and highlighted the crucial role for the interaction between osteoblast and the surrounding environment.

Abstract: relevance of the tissues.3 For osteogenic studies, the deposition of extracellular matrix proteins was always a challenge to validate and similarly the localization of the calcium deposits, either in the matrix or insides apoptotic cells. Osteoblasts are normally embedded in the bone matrix; such environment is not only important for the bone characteristics but also for the full differentiation of osteoblasts into osteocytes. Thus, it is not surprising that the 3D configuration could be essential for the proper osteogenic differentiation of stem cells.4,5 Ferrara et al. studied 2D versus 3D culture model of human derived osteoblast, isolated from adult subjects. They found that the production of alkaline phosphatase by 3D cultures was similar to that of monolayer, while calcification in 3D cultures was about tenfold that of monolayer. Interestingly, the cells in 3D cultures developed tight junctions and had increased the cell-to-cell contact.6 The authors concluded that in-vitro 3D cultures of human osteoblasts can promote further differentiation up to mineral deposition. These results highlighted the crucial role for the interaction between osteoblasts and the surrounding environment. Similar conclusions were reached by kale et al, as the authors reported the spontaneous formation of bone nodules upon maturation of the cells in monolayer under the effect of transforming growth factor beta.7