Abstract: Musculoskeletal tissues produced in vitro are optimized in response to an externally applied mechanical load. The load applied may vary from tissue to tissue, depending upon the response desired, and may include intermittent axial, torsional, and bending loads to produce cortical structures. Compression alone is preferably applied to produce cancellous bone. A method according to the invention for culturing bone in vitro comprises: providing a culture vessel providing a scaffold material, supporting the scaffold material within the tissue culture vessel so as to be exposed to a tissue culture medium, and exerting a force on the scaffold material during growth of a bone construct (a cultured bone growth) around the scaffold material.