Use of magnetic particles to apply mechanical forces for bone tissue engineering purposes

It is possible to influence osteoblast activity by the application of mechanical forces. There is potential in using these forces for tissue engineering applications in that cell matrix production may be upregulated, resulting in a functional tissue engineered construct created in a shorter culture time. We have been developing a novel technique for applying mechanical forces directly to the cell with the use of magnetic particles. Particles attached to the cell membrane can be manipulated using an external magnetic field thus applying forces in the piconewton range. We have previously demonstrated that primary human osteoblasts respond to this type of stimulus by upregulating bone related gene expression and producing mineralized matrix at early time points. In this paper we discuss the optimization of this technique by presenting data on the effects of this type of force on osteoblast proliferation, phagocytosis and also the potential use of this technique in developing 3D tissue engineered constructs.