Normal human osteoblast cells (NHOst; LONZA, Verviers, Belgium) were maintained in osteoblast basal medium (OBM™ Osteoblast Growth and Differentiation Basal Medium; LONZA) completed with the appropriate supplements (OGM™ Osteoblasts Growth SingleQuots™ kit, LONZA), 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS, EUROCLONE, Pero, Milano, Italy), 100 U/ml penicillin, 100 μg/ml streptomycin, (SIGMA, St. Louis, MO) in standard conditions (37°C, 5%CO2/95%air, humidified atmosphere).
To assess biocompatibility, each porous sample was placed in 48‐well plates to avoid cells' dispersion (as previously described),38 statically seeded with 5 × 104 cells suspended in 1 ml of medium, moved to a new 24‐well plate after 1 day and maintained in culture until 14 days.
NHOst were also seeded directly in tissue‐culture polystyrene wells as bidimensional standardized control (CTR). Medium was refreshed twice a week.
To assess biocompatibility, each porous sample was placed in 48‐well plates to avoid cells' dispersion (as previously described),
NHOst were also seeded directly in tissue‐culture polystyrene wells as bidimensional standardized control (CTR). Medium was refreshed twice a week.