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A recent paper by Ahmed S, et al entitled ‘Mechanical loading due to muscle movement regulates establishment of the collagen network in the developing murine skeleton’ explains the use of the TC-3 Bioreactor in the group’s work. The Developmental Biomechanics Group at Imperial College London, led by Dr Niamh Nowlan, has examined the role of mechanical loading in the onset and maturation of spatial localisation and structure of collagens in prenatal cartilage and bone, using in vivo and in vitro mouse models of altered loading.
According to the study, mechanical loading is critical in the maintenance and health of mature and ageing skeletal issues, as well as in prenatal and postnatal skeletal development. A range of conditions in newborns, caused by reduced, restricted, or absent fetal movements, include temporary brittle bone disease and fetal akinesia deformation sequence, such as limb deformities and abnormal joint contractures. Much remains unknown about the effects of abnormal fetal movements on the extracellular matrix of skeletal tissues, or the implications of mechanical forces on the extracellular matrix emergence over skeletal development.
The Developmental Biomechanics Group first bought a customised TC-3 Bioreactor in 2015, and purchased a second unit in 2019, with both machines serving multiple users and projects. The TC-3 Bioreactor allows mechanical stimulation of samples in long-term culture with user-defined loading samples. The system is designed with simplicity and versatility in mind; all physical set up of the machine is done with allen keys and manual screws, and sample grips are easily interchangeable to allow a quick and easy switch from tensile to compressive loading. The TC-3 is lightweight and fits easily into most standard incubators. It is highly customisable, with previous units being sold with custom grips, chambers and software.
The group described the results they obtained with the help of the TC-3:
“The majority of collagens studied was aberrant in structure or localization, or both, when skeletal muscle was absent in vivo. Using in vitro bioreactor culture system, we demonstrate that mechanical loading directly modulates the spatial localization and structure of collagens II and X. Furthermore, we show that mechanical loading in vitro rescues aspects of the development of collagens II and X from the effects of fetal immobility. In conclusion, our findings show that mechanical loading is a critical determinant of collagen network establishment during prenatal skeletal development.”
For more information on the TC-3 Bioreactor, please visit our website or contact one of the members of our sales team at sales@dwscientific.co.uk
If you would like to read more on this study, visit: https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.1098/rsos.231023 or if you would like to read more of our published papers, visit: https://www.dwscientific.com/about-us/published-papers
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