As new biomaterials are developed, the need grows for new technological tools in basic research, and for innovative analytical methods able to predict the clinical relevance of novel composites. In this work we investigated the mechanical properties of the structures obtained from healthy bone explants, with those of bone samples kept in long-term culture by the traditional 2D method on plastic dishes, or by the microgravity-based 3D conditions generated by the dynamic RCCSTM bioreactor. A quantitative evaluation of the structural differences among the samples was possible by means of numerical simulations based on 3D synchrotron radiation micro-CT reconstructions of the trabecular bone structure, and a Cell Method model. Significant differences were found between the three sets of samples. While the mechanical properties of samples maintained in 2D culture do not show a definite trend, those of the bone fragments kept in the RCCSTM bioreactor specifically decreased, as occur after in vivo exposure to microgravity conditions. These findings indicate that a promising research tool for predicting the clinical relevance of novel, bioengineered, implantable bone tissue analogues can be obtained by combining tissue engineering methods with advanced numerical models, able to quantify the biomaterials performance, possibly by reducing also the need for animal experimentation.
