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3D Osteocyte Networks under Pulsatile Unidirectional Fluid Flow Stimuli (PUFFS)
Anna-Blessing Merife1, Arun Poudel1, Angelika Polshikova1
1Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, L.C. Smith College of Engineering Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 13244, United States.
ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering
|October 2, 2025
Summary
This study introduces a novel microfluidic model to investigate how pulsatile mechanical stimuli affect three-dimensional (3D) osteocyte networks, revealing insights into skeletal mechanotransduction and cell communication.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Cell Biology
- Skeletal Mechanobiology
Background:
- Osteocytes are crucial for skeletal mechanoadaptation.
- Limited in vitro models exist for studying 3D osteocyte networks under dynamic mechanical forces.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a microfluidic in vitro model for 3D osteocyte networks subjected to Pulsatile Unidirectional Fluid Flow Stimuli (PUFFS).
- To investigate the cellular and molecular responses of osteocytes to dynamic mechanical stimulation.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microfluidic chip using digital light projection stereolithography.
- Encapsulation of murine MLO-Y4 osteocytes within a collagen matrix to form 3D networks.
- Application of daily PUFFS for up to 21 days, coupled with experimental, computational, and analytical characterization.
Main Results:
- PUFFS at 0.33 and 1.66 Hz induced mechanotransduction via calcium signaling propagated through Cx43 junctions.
- Osteocytes maintained expression of key genes for up to 21 days under PUFFS.
- The model successfully characterized the mechanical environment and cellular responses.
Conclusions:
- The developed microfluidic model provides a platform for studying 3D osteocyte network responses to dynamic mechanical stimuli.
- This model is valuable for understanding mechanotransduction in skeletal tissues.
