Differential behaviour and gene expression in 3D cultures of femoral- and calvarial-derived human osteoblasts under a cyclic compressive mechanical load.

The aim of the study was to compare the response of calvarial and femoral osteoblasts cultured in a 3D hydrogel environment to cyclic compressive mechanical loading. Human foetal femoral and calvarial osteoblasts were encapsulated in a semi-synthetic thiol-modified hyaluronan gelatin polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA) cross-linked HyStemC hydrogel. Constructs were subjected to a cyclic compressive strain of 33.