Mechanobiological Signal Transduction in Differentiating Chondrocyte and New Configuration for Mechanical Stress Culture

Musculoskeletal system regulates and supports mammalian body movement by generating force and by resisting to the force exerted on the body. Skeletal tissues, bone, cartilage, muscle and tendon are mechano-responsive tissues consisted of osteoblasts, chondrocytes, myocytes and fibroblasts and their specific extracellular matrices (ECMs). Mechanical stress presents a variety of effects on the metabolism and differentiation state of these cells. During bone growth, growth plate cartilage plays a pivotal role in growth in length of bone by providing templates consisted of cartilage specific ECM, which is replaced by bone. Chondrocytes, form cartilage in synovial joints and growth plates, respond to compressive force by activating their metabolism and progressing differentiation, while tensile stimulation inhibits their differentiation. Mechanical stimulation is translated into intracellular signaling, which regulates the differentiation state and metabolism of chondrocytes. To analyze the mechanobiological response, we have been developing mechanical stress culture device. Here, we present the mechanical stress culture device and mechnobiological response of differentiating chondrocytes to stretch stimulation.