Humanized culture of periosteal progenitors in allogeneic serum enhances osteogenic differentiation and in vivo bone formation.

The translation of stem cell-based regenerative solutions from the laboratory to the clinic is often hindered by the culture conditions used to expand cell populations. Although fetal bovine serum (FBS) is widely used, regulatory bodies and safety concerns encourage alternative, xeno-free culturing practices. In an attempt to apply this approach to a bone-forming combination product of human periosteal progenitors (human periosteum derived cells) on a clinically used calcium phosphate carrier, FBS was substituted for human allogeneic serum (hAS) during cell expansion.

Duodenal calcium absorption in dexamethasone-treated mice: functional and molecular aspects.

Reduced intestinal calcium absorption may be part of the pathogenesis of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis. 1,25(OH)2D3 is the major regulator of the expression of the active duodenal calcium absorption genes: TRPV6 (influx), calbindin-D9K (intracellular transfer) and PMCA1b (extrusion). We investigated the influence of dexamethasone (5 days: 2 mg/kg bw) on calcium absorption in vivo and on the expression of intestinal and renal calcium transporters in calcium-deprived mice.

Pregnancy in mice lacking the vitamin D receptor: normal maternal skeletal response, but fetal hypomineralization rescued by maternal calcium supplementation.

Fetal mineralization appears to be driven by the pregnancy-induced stimulation of intestinal Ca absorption. We thus hypothesized that mineralization would be impaired in fetuses of mice that lack the vitamin D receptor (VDR). Here we report on the maternal response to pregnancy, and the fetal mineralization, in mice with a homozygous disruption of the VDR gene (VDR-/-) mated with wild-type (wt) males.