Optimal parameters for the enhancement of human osteoblast-like cell proliferation in vitro via shear stress induced by high-frequency mechanical vibration

Introduction: Biomechanical stimulation of cultured human osteoblast-like cells, which is based on controlled mechanical vibration, has been previously indicated, but the exact mechanical parameters that are effective for cells' proliferation enhancement are still elusive due to the lack of direct data recordings from the stimulated cells in culture. Therefore, we developed a low friction tunable system that enables recording of a narrow range of mechanical parameters, above the infrasonic spectrum, that applied uniformly to human osteoblast-like cells in monolayer culture, aiming to identify a range of mechanical parameters that are effective to enhance osteoblast proliferation in vitro. Methods: Human osteoblast-like cells in explant monolayer culture samples were exposed to mechanical vibration in the 10-70Hz range of frequencies for two minutes, in four 24 hours intervals. Cell numbers in culture, cellular alkaline phosphatase activity (a marker of cell maturation), and lactate dehydrogenase activity in culture media (representing cell death) were measured after the mechanical stimulation protocol application and compared statistically to the control cell cultures kept in static conditions. The cell proliferation was deduced from cell number in culture and cell death measurements. Results: We found that 50-70 Hz of vibration frequency protocol (10-30 μm of maximal displacement amplitude, 0.03g of peak-to-peak acceleration) is optimal for enhancing cells' proliferation(p<0.05), with a parallel decrease of their maturation (p