Figure 3. Osteocytes could sense and respond to loading within the bilayer composite hydrogel.

(A) Experimental loading regimes. (B) PGE₂ concentration in the media directly after loading as a function of applied strain, frequency, and applied strain rate. Outliers were removed and experimental sample size of all groups was 6, except for the 20% applied strain/1 Hz frequency condition which represents a sample size of 12. Symbols denote significance of post hoc Tukey’s test: # compared to unloaded condition; * between strain-matched or frequency-matched conditions. (C) PGE₂ in the media was analyzed directly after loading (n=5) or in unloaded controls (n=3) with or without NS-398, a COX2 inhibitor. Symbols denote significance of post hoc Tukey’s test: # compared to unloaded -NS-398, * compared to unloaded +NS-398; % between NS-398 treatment within the same loading condition. Significance levels: one symbol p<0.05; two symbols p<0.01; three symbols p<0.001.