A 3D hybrid model for tissue growth: the interplay between cell population and mass transport dynamics

Effects of Elasticity on Cell Proliferation in a Tissue-Engineering Scaffold Pore

Scaffolds engineered for in vitro tissue engineering consist of multiple pores where cells can migrate along with nutrient-rich culture medium. The presence of the nutrient medium throughout the scaffold pores promotes cell proliferation, and this process depends on several factors such as scaffold geometry, nutrient medium flow rate, shear stress, cell-scaffold focal adhesions and elastic properties of the scaffold material. While numerous studies have addressed the first four factors, the mathematical approach described herein focuses on cell proliferation rate in elastic scaffolds, under constant flux of nutrients. As cells proliferate, the scaffold pores radius shrinks and thus, in order to sustain the nutrient flux, the inlet applied pressure on the upstream side of the scaffold pore must be increased. This results in expansion of the elastic scaffold pore, which in turn further increases the rate of cell proliferation. Considering the elasticity of the scaffold, the pore deformation allows further cellular growth beyond that of inelastic conditions. In this paper, our objectives are as follows: (i) Develop a mathematical model for describing fluid dynamics, scaffold elasticity and cell proliferation for scaffolds consist of identical nearly cylindrical pores; (ii) Solve the models and then simulate cellular proliferation within an elastic pore. The simulation can emulate real life tissue growth in a scaffold and offer a solution which reduces the numerical burdens. Lastly, our results demonstrated are in qualitative agreement with experimental observations reported in the literature.

Efficacy of bioreactor-activated bone substitute with bone marrow nuclear cells on fusion rate and fusion mass microarchitecture in sheep

Bioreactors have been used for bone graft engineering in pre-clinical investigations over the past 15 years. The ability of bioreactor-incubated bone marrow nuclear cells (BMNCs) to enhance bone-forming potential varies significantly, and the three-dimensional (3D) distribution of BMNCs within the scaffold is largely unknown. The aims of this study were (1) to investigate the efficacy of a carbonated hydroxyapatite (CHA) with/without BMNCs on spine fusion rate and fusion mass microarchitecture using a highly challenging two-level posterolateral spine fusion without instrumentation; and (2) to evaluate 3D distribution of BMNCs within scaffolds characterized by immunohistochemistry. Fusion rate and fusion mass were quantified by micro-CT, microarchitectural analysis, and histology. While the homogenous 3D distribution of BMNCs was not observed, BMNCs were found to migrate towards a substitute core. In the autograft group, the healing rate was 83.3%, irrespective of the presence of BMNCs. In the CHA group, also 83.3% was fused in the presence of BMNCs, and 66.7% fused without BMNCs. A significant decrease in the fusion mass porosity (p = .001) of the CHA group suggested the deposition of mineralized bone. The autograft group revealed more bone, thicker trabeculae, and better trabecular orientation but less connection compared to the CHA group. Immunohistochemistry confirmed the ability of bioreactors to incubate a large-sized substitute coated with viable BMNCs with the potential for proliferation and differentiation. These findings suggested that a bioreactor-activated substitute is comparable to autograft on spine fusion and that new functional bone regeneration could be achieved by a combination of BMNCs, biomaterials, and bioreactors.

Different spatial distribution of inflammatory cells in the tumor microenvironment of ABC and GBC subgroups of diffuse large B cell lymphoma

Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL) presents a high clinical and biological heterogeneity, and the tumor microenvironment chracteristics are important in its  progression. The aim of this study was to evaluate tumor T, B cells, macrophages and mast cells distribution in GBC and ABC DLBCL subgroups through a set of morphometric parameters allowing to provide a quantitative evaluation of the morphological features of the spatial patterns generated by these inflammatory cells.   Histological ABC and GCB samples were immunostained for CD4, CD8, CD68, CD 163, and tryptase in order to determine both percentage and position of positive cells in the tissue characterizing their spatial distribution. The results evidenced that cell patterns generated by CD4-, CD8-, CD68-, CD163- and tryptase-positive cell profiles exhibited a significantly higher uniformity index in ABC than in GCB subgroup. The positive-cell distributions appeared clustered in tissues from GCB, while in tissues from ABC such a feature was lower or absent. The combinations of spatial statistics-derived parameters can lead to better predictions of tumor cell infiltration than any classical morphometric method providing a more accurate description of the functional status of the tumor, useful for patient prognosis.

Morphological switch is associated with increase in cell-cell contacts, ALP, and confluence above a minimum island area to perimeter ratio

During osteogenic differentiation in vitro, stem-like cells seeded at a low-density spread and are isolated. As the cells proliferate and mature, they become more cuboidal in shape with more cell-cell contacts. However, the coordination of this switch in cell morphology from elongated to cuboidal, cell-cell contacts, and differentiation is not known. In this work, we present results from experiments and a simulation of cell proliferation on protein-micropatterned islands that, independent of island size (25-1,000 μm) or shape (circles, squares, and hollow squares), shows a distinct morphological switch that is better described as a function of island confluence than time in culture, the standard measure in cell culture experiments. The simulation and experiments show cell morphology and island cell density versus confluence collapse to a single curve for all islands if the island area to perimeter ratio is ≥25 μm. Cell-cell contacts in the simulation and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) expression in experiments, a common marker for osteogenic differentiation, show exponential growth with confluence, rapidly increasing after the switch at ≈0.5 confluence. Furthermore, cell morphology, density, contacts, and ALP are better predicted by confluence than time in culture. The variability with time in culture leads to challenges in not only interpreting data but also in comparing data across research laboratories. This simulation can be used to predict cell behavior on different size and shape islands and to plan and optimize experiments that explore cell behavior as a function of a wide range of island geometries.

3D Printing of Bioinspired Biomaterials for Tissue Regeneration

Biological systems, which possess remarkable functions and excellent properties, are gradually becoming a source of inspiration for the fabrication of advanced tissue regeneration biomaterials due to their hierarchical structures and novel compositions. It would be meaningful to learn and transfer the characteristics of creatures to biomaterials design. However, traditional strategies cannot satisfy the design requirements of the complicated bioinspired materials for tissue regeneration. 3D printing, as a rapidly developing new technology that can accurately achieve multimaterial and multiscale fabrication, is capable of optimizing the fabrication of bioinspired materials with complex composition and structure. This review summarizes the recent developments in 3D-printed bioinspired biomaterials for multiple tissue regeneration, and especially highlights the progresses on i) traditional bioinspired designs for biomaterials fabrication, ii) biological composition inspired designs for the 3D-printed biomaterials, and iii) biological structure inspired designs for the 3D-printed biomaterials. Finally, the challenges and prospects for the development of 3D-printed bioinspired biomaterials are discussed.

A Hybrid Model of Cartilage Regeneration Capturing the Interactions Between Cellular Dynamics and Porosity

To accelerate the development of strategies for cartilage tissue engineering, models are necessary to investigate the interactions between cellular dynamics and the local microenvironment. We use a discrete framework to capture the individual behavior of cells, modeling experiments where cells are seeded in a porous scaffold or hydrogel and over the time course of a month, the scaffold slowly degrades while cells divide and synthesize extracellular matrix constituents. The movement of cells and the ability to proliferate is a function of the local porosity, defined as the volume fraction of fluid in the surrounding region. A phenomenological approach is used to capture a continuous profile for the degrading scaffold and accumulating matrix, which will then change the local porosity throughout the construct. We parameterize the model by first matching total cell counts in the construct to chondrocytes seeded in a polyglycolic acid scaffold (Freed et al. in Biotechnol Bioeng 43:597-604, 1994). We investigate the influence of initial scaffold porosity on the total cell count and spatial profiles of cell and ECM in the construct. Cell counts were higher at day 30 in scaffolds of lower initial porosity, and similar cell counts were obtained using different models of scaffold degradation and matrix accumulation (either uniform or cell-specific). Using this modeling framework, we study the interplay between a phenomenological representation of scaffold architecture and porosity as well as the potential continuous application of growth factors. We determine parameter regimes where large cellular aggregates occur, which can hinder matrix accumulation and cellular proliferation. The developed modeling framework can easily be extended and can be used to identify optimal scaffolds and culture conditions that lead to a desired distribution of extracellular matrix and cell counts throughout the construct.

Oxygen Consumption Characteristics in 3D Constructs Depend on Cell Density

Oxygen is not only crucial for cell survival but also a determinant for cell fate and function. However, the supply of oxygen and other nutrients as well as the removal of toxic waste products often limit cell viability in 3-dimensional (3D) engineered tissues. The aim of this study was to determine the oxygen consumption characteristics of 3D constructs as a function of their cell density. The oxygen concentration was measured at the base of hepatocyte laden constructs and a tightly controlled experimental and analytical framework was used to reduce the system geometry to a single coordinate and enable the precise identification of initial and boundary conditions. Then dynamic process modeling was used to fit the measured oxygen vs. time profiles to a reaction and diffusion model. We show that oxygen consumption rates are well-described by Michaelis-Menten kinetics. However, the reaction parameters are not literature constants but depend on the cell density. Moreover, the average cellular oxygen consumption rate (or OCR) also varies with density. We discuss why the OCR of cells is often misinterpreted and erroneously reported, particularly in the case of 3D tissues and scaffolds.

Mathematical and computational models for bone tissue engineering in bioreactor systems

Research into cellular engineered bone grafts offers a promising solution to problems associated with the currently used auto- and allografts. Bioreactor systems can facilitate the development of functional cellular bone grafts by augmenting mass transport through media convection and shear flow-induced mechanical stimulation. Developing successful and reproducible protocols for growing bone tissue in vitro is dependent on tuning the bioreactor operating conditions to the specific cell type and graft design. This process, largely reliant on a trial-and-error approach, is challenging, time-consuming and expensive. Modelling can streamline the process by providing further insight into the effect of the bioreactor environment on the cell culture, and by identifying a beneficial range of operational settings to stimulate tissue production. Models can explore the impact of changing flow speeds, scaffold properties, and nutrient and growth factor concentrations. Aiming to act as an introductory reference for bone tissue engineers looking to direct their experimental work, this article presents a comprehensive framework of mathematical models on various aspects of bioreactor bone cultures and overviews modelling case studies from literature.

Essential steps in bioprinting: From pre- to post-bioprinting

An increasing demand for directed assembly of biomaterials has inspired the development of bioprinting, which facilitates the assembling of both cellular and acellular inks into well-arranged three-dimensional (3D) structures for tissue fabrication. Although great advances have been achieved in the recent decade, there still exist issues to be addressed. Herein, a review has been systematically performed to discuss the considerations in the entire procedure of bioprinting. Though bioprinting is advancing at a rapid pace, it is seen that the whole process of obtaining tissue constructs from this technique involves multiple-stages, cutting across various technology domains. These stages can be divided into three broad categories: pre-bioprinting, bioprinting and post-bioprinting. Each stage can influence others and has a bearing on the performance of fabricated constructs. For example, in pre-bioprinting, tissue biopsy and cell expansion techniques are essential to ensure a large number of cells are available for mass organ production. Similarly, medical imaging is needed to provide high resolution designs, which can be faithfully bioprinted. In the bioprinting stage, compatibility of biomaterials is needed to be matched with solidification kinetics to ensure constructs with high cell viability and fidelity are obtained. On the other hand, there is a need to develop bioprinters, which have high degrees of freedom of movement, perform without failure concerns for several hours and are compact, and affordable. Finally, maturation of bioprinted cells are governed by conditions provided during the post-bioprinting process. This review, for the first time, puts all the bioprinting stages in perspective of the whole process of bioprinting, and analyzes their current state-of-the art. It is concluded that bioprinting community will recognize the relative importance and optimize the parameter of each stage to obtain the desired outcomes.

Injectable scaffold materials differ in their cell instructive effects on primary human myoblasts

Scaffolds are materials used for delivery of cells for regeneration of tissues. They support three-dimensional organization and improve cell survival. For the repair of small skeletal muscles, injections of small volumes of cells are attractive, and injectable scaffolds for delivery of cells offer a minimally invasive technique. In this study, we examined in vitro the cell instructive effects of three types of injectable scaffolds, fibrin, alginate, and poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)-based microparticles on primary human myoblasts. The myoblast morphology and progression in the myogenic program differed, depending on the type of scaffold material. In alginate gel, the cells obtained a round morphology, they ceased to proliferate, and entered quiescence. In the fibrin gels, differentiation was promoted, and myotubes were observed within a few days in culture, while poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)-based microparticles supported prolonged proliferation. Myoblasts released from the alginate and fibrin gels were studied, and cells released from these scaffolds had retained the ability to proliferate and differentiate. Thus, the study shows that human myogenic cells combined with injectable scaffold materials are guided into different states depending on the choice of scaffold. This opens for in vivo experiments, including testing of the significance of the cell state on regeneration potential of primary human myoblasts.

Review: bioreactor design towards generation of relevant engineered tissues: focus on clinical translation

In tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, studies that utilize 3D scaffolds for generating voluminous tissues are mostly confined in the realm of in vitro research and preclinical animal model testing. Bioreactors offer an excellent platform to grow and develop 3D tissues by providing conditions that mimic their native microenvironment. Aligning the bioreactor development process with a focus on patient care will aid in the faster translation of the bioreactor technology to clinics. In this review, we discuss the various factors involved in the design of clinically relevant bioreactors in relation to their respective applications. We explore the functional relevance of tissue grafts generated by bioreactors that have been designed to provide physiologically relevant mechanical cues on the growing tissue. The review discusses the recent trends in non-invasive sensing of the bioreactor culture conditions. It provides an insight to the current technological advancements that enable in situ, non-invasive, qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the tissue grafts grown in a bioreactor system. We summarize the emerging trends in commercial bioreactor design followed by a short discussion on the aspects that hamper the 'push' of bioreactor systems into the commercial market as well as 'pull' factors for stakeholders to embrace and adopt widespread utility of bioreactors in the clinical setting. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A poroelastic mixture model of mechanobiological processes in biomass growth: theory and application to tissue engineering

In this article we propose a novel mathematical description of biomass growth that combines poroelastic theory of mixtures and cellular population models. The formulation, potentially applicable to general mechanobiological processes, is here used to study the engineered cultivation in bioreactors of articular chondrocytes, a process of Regenerative Medicine characterized by a complex interaction among spatial scales (from nanometers to centimeters), temporal scales (from seconds to weeks) and biophysical phenomena (fluid-controlled nutrient transport, delivery and consumption; mechanical deformation of a multiphase porous medium). The principal contribution of this research is the inclusion of the concept of cellular "force isotropy" as one of the main factors influencing cellular activity. In this description, the induced cytoskeletal tensional states trigger signalling transduction cascades regulating functional cell behavior. This mechanims is modeled by a parameter which estimates the influence of local force isotropy by the norm of the deviatoric part of the total stress tensor. According to the value of the estimator, isotropic mechanical conditions are assumed to be the promoting factor of extracellular matrix production whereas anisotropic conditions are assumed to promote cell proliferation. The resulting mathematical formulation is a coupled system of nonlinear partial differential equations comprising: conservation laws for mass and linear momentum of the growing biomass; advection-diffusion-reaction laws for nutrient (oxygen) transport, delivery and consumption; and kinetic laws for cellular population dynamics. To develop a reliable computational tool for the simulation of the engineered tissue growth process the nonlinear differential problem is numerically solved by: (1) temporal semidiscretization; (2) linearization via a fixed-point map; and (3) finite element spatial approximation. The biophysical accuracy of the mechanobiological model is assessed in the analysis of a simplified 1D geometrical setting. Simulation results show that: (1) isotropic/anisotropic conditions are strongly influenced by both maximum cell specific growth rate and mechanical boundary conditions enforced at the interface between the biomass construct and the interstitial fluid; (2) experimentally measured features of cultivated articular chondrocytes, such as the early proliferation phase and the delayed extracellular matrix production, are well described by the computed spatial and temporal evolutions of cellular populations.

Adult Stem Cell Therapies for Wound Healing: Biomaterials and Computational Models

The increased incidence of diabetes and tumors, associated with global demographic issues (aging and life styles), has pointed out the importance to develop new strategies for the effective management of skin wounds. Individuals affected by these diseases are in fact highly exposed to the risk of delayed healing of the injured tissue that typically leads to a pathological inflammatory state and consequently to chronic wounds. Therapies based on stem cells (SCs) have been proposed for the treatment of these wounds, thanks to the ability of SCs to self-renew and specifically differentiate in response to the target bimolecular environment. Here, we discuss how advanced biomedical devices can be developed by combining SCs with properly engineered biomaterials and computational models. Examples include composite skin substitutes and bioactive dressings with controlled porosity and surface topography for controlling the infiltration and differentiation of the cells. In this scenario, mathematical frameworks for the simulation of cell population growth can provide support for the design of bioconstructs, reducing the need of expensive, time-consuming, and ethically controversial animal experimentation.

An agent-based model approach to multi-phase life-cycle for contact inhibited, anchorage dependent cells

Cellular agent-based models are a technique that can be easily adapted to describe nuances of a particular cell type. Within we have concentrated on the cellular particularities of the human Endothelial Cell, explicitly the effects both of anchorage dependency and of heightened scaffold binding on the total confluence time of a system. By expansion of a discrete, homogeneous, asynchronous cellular model to account for several states per cell (phases within a cell's life); we accommodate and track dependencies of confluence time and population dynamics on these factors. Increasing the total motility time, analogous to weakening the binding between lattice and cell, affects the system in unique ways from increasing the average cellular velocity; each degree of freedom allows for control over the time length the system achieves logistic growth and confluence. These additional factors may allow for greater control over behaviors of the system. Examinations of system's dependence on both seed state velocity and binding are also enclosed.

Microscale diffusion measurements and simulation of a scaffold with a permeable strut

Electrospun nanofibrous structures provide good performance to scaffolds in tissue engineering. We measured the local diffusion coefficients of 3-kDa FITC-dextran in line patterns of electrospun nanofibrous structures fabricated by the direct-write electrospinning (DWES) technique using the fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) method. No significant differences were detected between DWES line patterns fabricated with polymer supplied at flow rates of 0.1 and 0.5 mL/h. The oxygen diffusion coefficients of samples were estimated to be ~92%–94% of the oxygen diffusion coefficient in water based on the measured diffusion coefficient of 3-kDa FITC-dextran. We also simulated cell growth and distribution within spatially patterned scaffolds with struts consisting of either oxygen-permeable or non-permeable material. The permeable strut scaffolds exhibited enhanced cell growth. Saturated depths at which cells could grow to confluence were 15% deeper for the permeable strut scaffolds than for the non-permeable strut scaffold.

Geometry-driven cell organization determines tissue growths in scaffold pores: consequences for fibronectin organization

To heal tissue defects, cells have to bridge gaps and generate new extracellular matrix (ECM). Macroporous scaffolds are frequently used to support the process of defect filling and thus foster tissue regeneration. Such biomaterials contain micro-voids (pores) that the cells fill with their own ECM over time. There is only limited knowledge on how pore geometry influences cell organization and matrix production, even though it is highly relevant for scaffold design. This study hypothesized that 1) a simple geometric description predicts cellular organization during pore filling at the cell level and that 2) pore closure results in a reorganization of ECM. Scaffolds with a broad distribution of pore sizes (macroporous starPEG-heparin cryogel) were used as a model system and seeded with primary fibroblasts. The strategies of cells to fill pores could be explained by a simple geometrical model considering cells as tensioned chords. The model matched qualitatively as well as quantitatively by means of cell number vs. open cross-sectional area for all pore sizes. The correlation between ECM location and cell position was higher when the pores were not filled with tissue (Pearson's coefficient ρ = 0.45±0.01) and reduced once the pores were closed (ρ = 0.26±0.04) indicating a reorganization of the cell/ECM network. Scaffold pore size directed the time required for pore closure and furthermore impacted the organization of the fibronectin matrix. Understanding how cells fill micro-voids will help to design biomaterial scaffolds that support the endogenous healing process and thus allow a fast filling of tissue defects.

First-passage characteristics of biased diffusion in a planar wedge

We obtain compact, exact, analytical expressions for the first-passage-time distribution for a particle undergoing biased diffusion in a planar wedge for wedge angles π/p, where p is a positive integer. We then provide the long-time limit of the first-passage time and found it to be dependent on the drift direction and wedge angle. We finally provide exact expressions for the mean first-passage time for specific cases.

Bioresponsive hydrogels

Bioresponsive hydrogels are emerging with technological significance in targeted drug delivery, biosensors, and regenerative medicine. Their ability to respond to specific biologically derived stimuli creates a design challenge in effectively linking the conferred biospecificity with an engineered response tailored to the needs of a particular application. Moreover, the fundamental phenomena governing the response must support an appropriate dynamic range, limit of detection, and the potential for feedback control. The design of these systems is inherently complicated due to the high interdependency of the governing phenomena that guide sensing, transduction, and actuation of the hydrogel. Future advancements in bioresponsive hydrogels will out of necessity contain control loops similar to synthetic metabolic pathways. The use of these materials will continue to expand as they become coupled and integrated with new technologies.

A multi-paradigm modeling framework to simulate dynamic reciprocity in a bioreactor

Despite numerous technology advances, bioreactors are still mostly utilized as functional black-boxes where trial and error eventually leads to the desirable cellular outcome. Investigators have applied various computational approaches to understand the impact the internal dynamics of such devices has on overall cell growth, but such models cannot provide a comprehensive perspective regarding the system dynamics, due to limitations inherent to the underlying approaches. In this study, a novel multi-paradigm modeling platform capable of simulating the dynamic bidirectional relationship between cells and their microenvironment is presented. Designing the modeling platform entailed combining and coupling fully an agent-based modeling platform with a transport phenomena computational modeling framework. To demonstrate capability, the platform was used to study the impact of bioreactor parameters on the overall cell population behavior and vice versa. In order to achieve this, virtual bioreactors were constructed and seeded. The virtual cells, guided by a set of rules involving the simulated mass transport inside the bioreactor, as well as cell-related probabilistic parameters, were capable of displaying an array of behaviors such as proliferation, migration, chemotaxis and apoptosis. In this way the platform was shown to capture not only the impact of bioreactor transport processes on cellular behavior but also the influence that cellular activity wields on that very same local mass transport, thereby influencing overall cell growth. The platform was validated by simulating cellular chemotaxis in a virtual direct visualization chamber and comparing the simulation with its experimental analogue. The results presented in this paper are in agreement with published models of similar flavor. The modeling platform can be used as a concept selection tool to optimize bioreactor design specifications.

Nonsteady state oxygen transport in engineered tissue: implications for design

Engineered tissue constructs are limited in size, and thus clinical relevance, when diffusion is the primary mode of oxygen transport. Understanding the extent of oxygen diffusion and cellular consumption is necessary for the design of engineered tissues, particularly those intended for implantation into hypoxic wound sites. This study presents a combined experimental and computation model to predict design constraints for cellularized fibrin tissues subjected to a step change in the oxygen concentration to simulate transplantation. Nonsteady state analysis of oxygen diffusion and consumption was used to estimate the diffusion coefficient of oxygen (mean±SD, 1.7×10(-9)±8.4×10(-11) m(2)/s) in fibrin hydrogels as well as the Michaelis-Menten parameters, Vmax (1.3×10(-17)±9.2×10(-19) mol·cell(-1)·s(-1)), and Km (8.0×10(-3)±3.5×0(-3) mol/m(3)), of normal human lung fibroblasts. Nondimensionalization of the governing diffusion-reaction equation enabled the creation of a single dimensionless parameter, the Thiele modulus (φ), which encompasses the combined effects of oxygen diffusion, consumption, and tissue dimensions. Tissue thickness is the design parameter with the most pronounced influence on the distribution of oxygen within the system. Additionally, tissues designed such that φ<1 achieve a near spatially uniform and adequate oxygen concentration following the step change. Understanding and optimizing the Thiele modulus will improve the design of engineered tissue implants.

Tissue growth into three-dimensional composite scaffolds with controlled micro-features and nanotopographical surfaces

Controlling topographic features at all length scales is of great importance for the interaction of cells with tissue regenerative materials. We utilized an indirect three-dimensional printing method to fabricate polymeric scaffolds with pre-defined and controlled external and internal architecture that had an interconnected structure with macro- (400-500 μm) and micro- (∼25 μm) porosity. Polycaprolactone (PCL) was used as model system to study the kinetics of tissue growth within porous scaffolds. The surface of the scaffolds was decorated with TiO2 and bioactive glass (BG) nanoparticles to the better match to nanoarchitecture of extracellular matrix (ECM). Micrometric BG particles were also used to reveal the effect of particle size on the cell behavior. Observation of tissue growth and enzyme activity on two-dimensional (2D) films and three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds showed effects of nanoparticle inclusion and of surface curvature on the cellular adhesion, proliferation, and kinetics of preosteoblastic cells (MC3T3-E1) tissue growth into the pore channels. It was found that the presence of nanoparticles in the substrate impaired cellular adhesion and proliferation in 3D structures. Evaluation of alkaline phosphate activity showed that the presence of the hard particles affects differentiation of the cells on 2D films. Notwithstanding, the effect of particles on cell differentiation was not as strong as that seen by the curvature of the substrate. We observed different effects of nanofeatures on 2D structures with those of 3D scaffolds, which influence the cell proliferation and differentiation for non-load-bearing applications in bone regenerative medicine.