Miniaturized 3D in vitro models for material-guided bone regeneration

Tissue engineering and regenerative medicine (TERM) aim at the development of replacements for lost, damaged or diseased tissues/organs. TERM relies on the use of cells, biomaterials and growth factors. Since biomaterials play a major role in TERM research, their characterization and assessment are of great importance. Conventionally, the assessment of safety and functionality of biomaterials is based on in vitro cultures of cells on two-dimensional (2D) specimens of the material of interest. The relevance of such an experiment is limited, as it poorly represents the actual environment in the body. This drawback has inspired researchers to develop more predictive in vitro models to test materials for biomedical applications. As a contribution to these efforts, this thesis focuses on the development of three-dimensional miniaturized human in vitro models of bone with the aim of assessing cell-biomaterial interactions in a native-like setting.