Study on the proliferation and differentiation of pre-osteoblasts in response to "stress homeostasis" - Low gradient...

Bone tissue exists in a dynamic equilibrium maintained by bone resorption and formation, a state regulated by mechanical stimulation. Skeletal structures adapt their architecture and function dynamically in response to applied loads to meet varying biomechanical demands, a property termed mechanical adaptability. Research indicates that the intensity of adaptive responses correlates closely with load gradients, such as strain rate. To investigate the effects of varying load gradients on pre-osteoblast adaptive behavior, this study employed a sodium alginate-gelatin composite hydrogel containing rat MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblasts as an in vitro model. Under fixed conditions of frequency (2 Hz) and loading duration (3 min/day), an autonomously constructed loading apparatus was used to apply static loads (0 g/cm², 2 g/cm²) and dynamic loads (0-4 g/cm², 1-3 g/cm²), thereby simulating mechanical environments with varying gradients. Through a series of assays examining cellular proliferation and differentiation, the study systematically investigated the effects of load gradients on pre-osteoblast function, with particular emphasis on cellular adaptation characteristics under short-cycle mechanical stimulation. The results showed that low gradients of loads had promoted the proliferation and differentiation of pre-osteoblasts.