Three-dimensional environments have been shown to enhance cell aggregation and osteoblast differentiation. Thus, we hypothesized that three-dimensional (3D) growth environments would enhance the mineralization rate of human embryonic palatal mesenchymal (HEPM) pre-osteoblasts. The objective of this study was to investigate the potential use of rotary cell culture systems (RCCS) as a means to en...

Natural composite biomaterials are good structural supports for bone cells to regenerate lost bone. Here, we report that a chitosan-collagen composite film accelerated osteoblast proliferation, differentiation and matrix mineralization in MC3T3-E1 cells. Intriguingly, we observed that the film enhanced the phosphorylation of Erk1/2. We showed that the chitosan-collagen composite film increased ...

BACKGROUND Osteosarcoma (OS) is a highly aggressive bone cancer affecting children and young adults. Growing evidence connects the invasive potential of OS cells with their ability to form invadopodia (structures specialized in extracellular matrix proteolysis). RESULTS In this study, we tested the hypothesis that commonly used in vitro stimulators of mineralization limit the invadopodia form...

Large conductance calcium-activated potassium (BK) channels participate in many important physiological functions in excitable tissues such as neurons, cardiac and smooth muscles, whereas the knowledge of BK channels in bone tissues and osteoblasts remains elusive. To investigate the role of BK channels in osteoblasts, we used transcription activator-like effector nuclease (TALEN) to establish ...

Pycnogenol (PYC) is a natural plant extract from the bark of Pinus pinaster Atiton that has potent anti-oxidant activities. Recent studies have shown that orally administered PYC can increase the biomechanical strength of bone and bone mineral density in ovariectomized rats. However, the effect of PYC on osteoblast mineralization has not yet been examined. We studied the differentiation and min...

The morphogenetic and differentiation events required for bone formation are orchestrated by diffusible and insoluble factors that are localized within the extracellular matrix. In mice, the deletion of ICAP-1, a modulator of β1 integrin activation, leads to severe defects in osteoblast proliferation, differentiation, and mineralization and to a delay in bone formation. Deposition of fibronecti...

Background: Clinical evidence indicates the diabetes-induced impairment of osteogenesis caused by a decrease in osteoblast activity. Flavonoids can increase the differentiation and mineralization of osteoblasts in a high-glucose state. However, some flavonoids such as luteolin may have the potential to induce cytotoxicity in osteoblast-like cells. This study was performed to investigate whether...

Statins, drugs commonly used to lower serum cholesterol, have been shown to stimulate osteoblast differentiation and bone formation. Statins inhibit 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl (HMG)-coenzyme A reductase (HMGCR), the first step of the isoprenoid biosynthetic pathway, leading to the depletion of the isoprenoids farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP) and geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (GGPP). The effects of s...

Phosphatases are recognised to have important functions in the initiation of skeletal mineralization. Tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase (TNAP) and PHOSPHO1 are indispensable for bone and cartilage mineralization but their functional relationship in the mineralization process remains unclear. In this study, we have used osteoblast and ex-vivo metatarsal cultures to obtain biochemical evide...

Recent studies have demonstrated that fat accumulation in bone cells is detrimental to bone mass. Both adipocytes and osteoblasts are derived from common multipotent mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and hence the presence of fat may increase adipocyte proliferation, differentiation and fat accumulation while inhibiting osteoblast differentiation and bone formation. Lipids are common constituents i...