Flow perfusion culture of marrow stromal osteoblasts in titanium fiber mesh

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of two cell culture techniques, static and flow perfusion, on the osteogenic expression of rat bone marrow cells seeded into titanium fiber mesh for a period up to 16 days. A cell suspension of rat bone marrow stromal osteoblasts (5 × 10⁵ cells/300 μL) was seeded into the mesh material. Thereafter, the constructs were cultured under static conditions or in a flow perfusion system for 4, 8, and 16 days. To evaluate cellular proliferation and differentiation, constructs were examined for DNA, calcium content, and alkaline phosphatase activity. Samples were also examined with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and plastic‐embedded histological sections. Results showed an increase in DNA from day 4 to day 8 for the flow perfusion system. At day 8, a significant enhancement in DNA content was observed for flow perfusion culture compared with static culture conditions, but similar cell numbers were found for each culture system at 16 days. Calcium measurements showed a large increase in calcium content of the meshes subjected to flow perfusion at day 16. The SEM examination revealed that the 16‐day samples subjected to flow perfusion culture were completely covered with layers of cells and mineralized matrix. In addition, this matrix extended deep into the scaffolds. In contrast, meshes cultured under static conditions had only a thin sheet of matrix present on the upper surface of the meshes. Evaluation of the light microscopy sections confirmed the SEM observations. On the basis of our results, we conclude that a flow perfusion system can enhance the early proliferation, differentiation, and mineralized matrix production of bone marrow stromal osteoblasts seeded in titanium fiber mesh. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 64A: 235–241, 2003