MORE | Fall 2018

Studying Osteogenesis and Mineralization within Hyperglycemic In Vitro Cell Culture Models

Approximately 30 million Americans are afflicted by type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Glucose and advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) have been shown to be associated with the degenerating effects of T2DM, especially those responsible for the higher incidence of osteoporotic fractures. However, much remains unknown about how these biomolecules tie into the pathology of the disease. Therefore, an in vitro model of the T2DM microenvironment is being developed to gain further understanding on how these biomolecules affect osteogenesis. Different concentrations of glucose and AGEs were studied in cell culture for 28 days. Cell morphology and differentiation into osteoblasts was then evaluated.