Since osteocytes are the major mechanosensor cells in bone
(Bonewald and Johnson, 2008; Riddle and Donahue, 2009), their
response to micro-cracks could also be mechanically regulated. We
hypothesize that after physical trauma as in the case of micro-cracks
in bone, mechanical loading regulates osteocyte production of early
remodeling related molecules: PGE2 and VEGF. A system was created
to achieve sub-cellular physical damage (PD) to cells similar to the
effect of micro-cracks. Osteocyte expression of signaling molecules
involved in the initiation of bone remodeling were quantified. The
capacity of damaged and mechanically stimulated osteocytes to
induced osteoclast differentiation was investigated.