The use of tissue engineered implants could facilitate unions in situations where there is loss of bone or non-union, thereby increasing healing time, reducing the risk of infections and hence reducing morbidity. Currently engineered bone tissue is not of sufficient quality to be used in widespread clinical practice.  In order to improve experimental design, and thereby the quality of the tissue-constructs, the underlying biological processes involved need to be better understood. 
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In conjunction with experimentalists, we consider the effect hydrodynamic pressure has on the development and regulation of bone, in a bioreactor designed specifically for this purpose.  
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To answer the experimentalists' specific questions, we have developed a time-dependent mathematical model describing the development of the bone-producing cells and mineralised collagen. Two separate hypothesis of the mineralised extracellular matrix deposition rate are considered.
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In order to represent experimental results, it is demonstrated that in incluing a decay rate to account for length of loading above a pressure threshold is needed. The mathematical model is then used to computationally screen for operating parameters in order to determine the optimal experimental strategy.