Investigation of The Cellular Response to Bone Fractures : Evidence for Flexoelectricity
Núñez Toldrà, Raquel (Institut Català de Nanociència i Nanotecnologia)
Vásquez Sancho, Fabián (Institut Català de Nanociència i Nanotecnologia)
Barroca, Nathalie (Institut Català de Nanociència i Nanotecnologia)
Catalan, Gustau (Institut Català de Nanociència i Nanotecnologia)

Date:	2020
Abstract:	The recent discovery of bone flexoelectricity (strain-gradient-induced electrical polarization) suggests that flexoelectricity could have physiological effects in bones, and specifically near bone fractures, where flexoelectricity is theoretically highest. Here, we report a cytological study of the interaction between crack stress and bone cells. We have cultured MC3T3-E1 mouse osteoblastic cells in biomimetic microcracked hydroxyapatite substrates, differentiated into osteocytes and applied a strain gradient to the samples. The results show a strong apoptotic cellular response, whereby mechanical stimulation causes those cells near the crack to die, as indicated by live-dead and caspase staining. In addition, analysis two weeks post-stimulation shows increased cell attachment and mineralization around microcracks and a higher expression of osteocalcin -an osteogenic protein known to be promoted by physical exercise. The results are consistent with flexoelectricity playing at least two different roles in bone remodelling: apoptotic trigger of the repair protocol, and electro-stimulant of the bone-building activity of osteoblasts.
Grants:	Agència de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca 2017/SGR-579 European Commission 308023 Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad SEV-2017-0706
Rights:	Aquest document està subjecte a una llicència d'ús Creative Commons. Es permet la reproducció total o parcial, la distribució, la comunicació pública de l'obra i la creació d'obres derivades, fins i tot amb finalitats comercials, sempre i quan es reconegui l'autoria de l'obra original.
Language:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada
Subject:	Biophysics ; Cell biology ; Materials science
Published in:	Scientific reports, Vol. 10 (January 2020) , art. 254, ISSN 2045-2322

DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-57121-3
PMID: 31937885

10 p, 3.8 MB

The record appears in these collections:
Research literature > UAB research groups literature > Research Centres and Groups (research output) > Experimental sciences > Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2)
Articles > Research articles
Articles > Published articles