Perfused Platforms to Mimic Bone Microenvironment at the Macro/Milli/Microscale: Pros and Cons

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Tissue Engineering
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Increasing life expectancy leads to a rise in age-related bone diseases like osteoporosis and fractures.
• Current in vitro models fail to accurately replicate the complex in vivo bone microenvironment, limiting their predictive power for treatment outcomes.
• There is a pressing need for advanced models to study bone diseases and develop effective therapeutic strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review macro, milli, and microscale perfused devices for modeling bone structure and microenvironment.
• To highlight the role of perfusion in these advanced in vitro systems.
• To discuss the potential of these devices for preclinical drug screening.

Main Methods:

• Discussion of macro, milli, and microscale perfused devices.
• Focus on the integration of perfusion, mechanical/biochemical stimuli, biomaterials, and multiple cell types.
• Review of devices designed to mimic the bone extracellular matrix and cellular complexity.

Main Results:

• Perfused vascularized models represent a novel technological approach to overcome limitations of traditional cell cultures.
• These models allow for the combination of multiple stimuli and biological cues, mimicking in vivo conditions.
• The reviewed devices offer a promising first step towards developing sophisticated 3D in vitro platforms.

Conclusions:

• Perfused devices provide a more accurate in vitro representation of bone tissue compared to existing models.
• These advanced models are crucial for the preclinical screening of novel anabolic or anti-catabolic therapies for bone health.
• Further development of these 3D in vitro platforms holds significant potential for improving the prevention and treatment of bone-related diseases.