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Updated: Oct 25, 2025
Isolation of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells and their Cultivation on the Porous Bone Matrix
Published on: February 9, 2015
Molybdenum trioxide enhances viability, osteogenic differentiation and extracellular matrix formation of human bone
S Decker1, E Kunisch1, A Moghaddam2
1Center of Orthopedics, Traumatology, and Spinal Cord Injury, Heidelberg University Hospital, Schlierbacher Landstraße 200a, 69118, Heidelberg, Germany.
Background:
Metals and their ions allow specific modifications of the biological properties of bioactive materials that are intended for application in bone tissue engineering. While there is some evidence about the impact of particles derived from orthopedic Cobalt-Chromium-Molybdenum (Co-Cr-Mo) alloys on cells, there is only limited data regarding the influence of the essential trace element Mo and its ions on the viability, osteogenic differentiation as well as on the formation and maturation of the primitive extracellular matrix (ECM) of primary human bone marrow-derived stromal cells (BMSCs) available so far.
Methods:
In this study, the influence of a wide range of molybdenum (VI) trioxide (MoO3), concentrations on BMSC viability was evaluated via measurement of fluorescein diacetate metabolization. Thereafter, the impact of three non-cytotoxic concentrations of MoO3 on the cellular osteogenic differentiation as well as on ECM formation and maturation of BMSCs was assessed.
Results:
MoO3 had no negative influence on BMSC viability in most tested concentrations, as viability was in fact even enhanced. Only the highest concentration (10 mM) of MoO3 showed cytotoxic effects. Cellular osteogenic differentiation, measured via the marker enzyme alkaline phosphatase was enhanced by the presence of MoO3 in a concentration-dependent manner. Furthermore, MoO3 showed a positive influence on the expression of relevant marker genes for osteogenic differentiation (osteopontin, osteocalcin and type I collagen alpha 1) and on the formation and maturation of the primitive ECM, as measured by collagen deposition and ECM calcification.
Conclusion:
MoO3 is considered as an attractive candidate for supplementation in biomaterials and qualifies for further research.
