Skip to main content

Mechanical Stimulation of Bone Cells Using Fluid Flow

  • Protocol
  • First Online:
Book cover Bone Research Protocols

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 816))

Abstract

This chapter describes several methods suitable for mechanically stimulating monolayers of bone cells by fluid shear stress (FSS) in vitro. Fluid flow is generated by pumping culture medium through two parallel plates, one of which contains a monolayer of cells. Methods for measuring nitric oxide production by bone cells in response to FSS are also described.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Protocol
USD 49.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 89.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 119.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Piekarski, K., and Munro, M. (1977) Transport mechanism operating between blood supply and osteocytes in long bones. Nature. 269, 80–82.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Cowin, S. C., and Weinbaum, S. (1998) Strain amplification in the bone mechanosensory system. Am. J. Med. Sci. 316, 184–188.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Klein-Nulend, J., van der Plas, A., Semeins, C.M., Ajubi, N. E., Frangos, J. A., Nijweide, P. J., and Burger, E. H. (1995) Sensitivity of osteocytes to biomechanical stress in vitro. FASEB J. 9, 441–445.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Klein-Nulend, J., Roelofsen, J., Sterck, J. G., Semeins, C. M., and Burger, E. H. (1995) Mechanical loading stimulates the release of transforming growth factor-beta activity by cultured mouse calvariae and periosteal cells. J. Cell Physiol. 163, 115–119.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Turner, C. H., Forwood, M. R., and Otter, M. W. (1994) Mechanotransduction in bone: do bone cells act as sensors of fluid flow? FASEB J. 8, 875–878.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Knothe Tate, M. L., Knothe, U., and Niederer, P. (1998) Experimental elucidation of mechanical load-induced fluid flow and its potential role in bone metabolism and functional adaptation. Am. J. Med. Sci. 316, 189–195.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Knothe Tate, M. L., Steck, R., Forwood, M. R., and Niederer, P. (2000) In vivo demonstration of load-induced fluid flow in the rat tibia and its potential implications for processes associated with functional adaptation. J. Exp. Biol. 203, 2737–2745.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Jacobs, C. R., Yellowley, C. E., Davis, B. R., Zhou, Z., Cimbala, J. M., and Donahue, H. J. (1998) Differential effect of steady versus oscillating flow on bone cells. J. Biomech. 31, 969–976.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Turner, C. H., Owan, I., and Takano, Y. (1995) Mechanotransduction in bone: role of strain rate. Am. J. Physiol. 269, E438–442.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Weinbaum, S., Guo, P., and You, L. (2001) A new view of mechanotransduction and strain amplification in cells with microvilli and cell processes. Biorheology. 38, 119–142.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Han, Y., Cowin, S. C., Schaffler, M. B., and Weinbaum, S. (2004) Mechanotransduction and strain amplification in osteocyte cell processes. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 101, 16689–16694.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Weinbaum, S., Cowin, S. C., and Zeng, Y. (1994) A model for the excitation of osteocytes by mechanical loading-induced bone fluid shear stresses. J. Biomech. 27, 339–360.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. You, L. D., Weinbaum, S., Cowin, S. C., and Schaffler, M. B. (2004) Ultrastructure of the osteocyte process and its pericellular matrix. Anat Rec. A. Discov. Mol. Cell Evol. Biol. 278, 505–513.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Wang, Y., McNamara, L.M., Schaffler, M. B., and Weinbaum, S. (2007) A model for the role of integrins in flow induced mechanotransduction in osteocytes. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 104, 15941–15946.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Bonewald, L. F. (2007) Osteocytes as dynamic multifunctional cells. Ann. N Y Acad. Sci. 1116, 281–290.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Anderson, E. J., Kaliyamoorthy, S., Iwan, J., Alexander, D., and Knothe Tate, M. L. (2005) Nano-microscale models of periosteocytic flow show differences in stresses imparted to cell body and processes. Ann. Biomed. Eng. 33, 52–62.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Whitfield, J. F. (2003) Primary cilium--is it an osteocyte’s strain-sensing flowmeter? J. Cell Biochem. 89, 233–237.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Xiao, Z., Zhang, S., Mahlios, J., Zhou, G., Magenheimer, B. S., Guo, D., Dallas, S. L., Maser, R., Calvet, J. P., Bonewald, L., and Quarles, L. D. (2006) Cilia-like structures and polycystin-1 in osteoblasts/osteocytes and associated abnormalities in skeletogenesis and Runx2 expression. J. Biol. Chem. 281, 30884–30895.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. McGarry, J. G., Klein-Nulend, J., Mullender, M. G., and Prendergast, P. J. (2005) A comparison of strain and fluid shear stress in stimulating bone cell responses--a computational and experimental study. FASEB. J. 19, 482–484.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Hung, C. T., Allen, F. D., Pollack, S. R., and Brighton, C. T. (1996) Intracellular Ca2+ stores and extracellular Ca2+ are required in the real-time Ca2+ response of bone cells experiencing fluid flow. J. Biomech. 29, 1411–1417.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Hung, C. T., Pollack, S. R., Reilly, T. M., and Brighton, C. T. (1995) Real-time calcium response of cultured bone cells to fluid flow. Clin. Orthop. Relat. Res. 256–269.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Ajubi, N. E., Klein-Nulend, J., Alblas, M. J., Burger, E. H., and Nijweide, P. J. (1999) Signal transduction pathways involved in fluid flow-induced PGE2 production by cultured osteocytes. Am. J. Physiol. 276, E171–178.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Kulkarni, R. N., Bakker, A. D., Everts, V., and Klein-Nulend, J. (2010) Inhibition of Osteoclastogenesis by Mechanically Loaded Osteocytes: Involvement of MEPE. Calcif. Tissue Int. 87, 461–8.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Vatsa, A., Mizuno, D., Smit, T.H., Schmidt, C.F., MacKintosh, F.C., and Klein-Nulend, J. (2006) Bio imaging of intracellular NO production in single bone cells after mechanical stimulation. J. Bone Miner. Res. 21, 1722–1728.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Bacabac, R.G., Smit, T.H., Cowin, S.C., Van Loon, J.J., Nieuwstadt, F.T., Heethaar, R., and Klein-Nulend, J. (2005) Dynamic shear stress in parallel-plate flow chambers. J. Biomech. 38, 159–167.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Frangos, J.A., McIntire, L.V., and Eskin, S.G. (1988) Shear stress induced stimulation of mammalian cell metabolism. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 32, 1053–1060.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Carmen Huesa .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2012 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

About this protocol

Cite this protocol

Huesa, C., Bakker, A.D. (2012). Mechanical Stimulation of Bone Cells Using Fluid Flow. In: Helfrich, M., Ralston, S. (eds) Bone Research Protocols. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 816. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-61779-415-5_36

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-61779-415-5_36

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, Totowa, NJ

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-61779-414-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-61779-415-5

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

Publish with us

Policies and ethics