Age-dependent morphometric alterations in the distal femora of male and female rats

Surgical Classification for Preclinical Rat Femoral Bone Defect Model: Standardization Based on Systematic Review, Anatomical Analysis and Virtual Surgery

Though surgical techniques profoundly influence in vivo experiments, significant heterogeneity exists in current surgeries for inducing rat femoral bone defects. Such variations reduce the reproducibility and comparability of preclinical studies, and are detrimental to clinical translation. The purposes of this study were: (1) to conduct a systematic review of rat femoral defect models, summarizing and analyzing the surgical techniques; (2) to analyze surgical design and potential pitfalls via 3D anatomy and virtual surgeries for fostering future precision research; and (3) to establish a surgical classification system, for improving the reproducibility and comparability among studies, avoiding unnecessary repetitive experiments. The online database PubMed was searched to identify studies from January 2000 to June 2022 using keywords, including rat, femur, bone defect. Eligible publications were included for a review of surgical methods. Anatomical analysis and virtual surgeries were conducted based on micro-CT reconstruction of the rat femur for further investigation and establishment of a classification system. A total of 545 publications were included, revealing marked heterogeneity in surgical methods. Four major surgical designs were reported for inducing defects from the proximal to distal femur: bone tunnel, cortical window, segmental defect, and wedge-shaped defect. Anatomical analysis revealed potential pitfalls hindering efficient clinical translation. A classification system was established according to the anatomical region, surgical design, and fixation devices. This systematic review in combination with 3D analysis and virtual surgery provides a general overview of current surgical approaches to inducing femoral defects in rats, and establishes a surgical classification facilitating preclinical research of quality and translational value.

Frequent, quantitative bone planar scintigraphy for determination of bone anabolism in growing mice

Background

To provide insight into bone turnover, quantitative measurements of bone remodeling are required. Radionuclide studies are widely used in clinical care, but have been rarely used in the exploration of the bone in preclinical studies. We describe a bone planar scintigraphy method for frequent assessment of bone activity in mice across the growing period. Since repeated venous radiotracer injections are hardly feasible in mice, we investigated the subcutaneous route.

Methods

Repeated ^99mTc-hydroxymethylene diphosphonate (HMDP) tracer bone planar scintigraphy studies of the knee region and µCT to measure femur growth rate were performed in eight mice between week 6 and week 27 of life, i.e., during their growth period. Three independent investigators assessed the regions of interest (ROI). An index was calculated based on the counts in knees ROI (normalized by pixels and seconds), corrected for the activity administered, the decay between administration and imaging, and individual weights.

Results

A total of 93 scintigraphy studies and 85 µCT were performed. Repeated subcutaneous tracer injections were well tolerated and allowed for adequate radionuclide studies. Mean scintigraphic indexes in the knees ROI decreased from 87.4 ± 2.6 × 10⁻⁶ counts s⁻¹ pixel⁻¹ MBq⁻¹ g⁻¹ at week 6 to 15.0 ± 3.3 × 10⁻⁶ counts s⁻¹ pixel⁻¹ MBq⁻¹ g⁻¹ at week 27. The time constant of the fitted exponential decay was equal to 23.5 days. As control mean femur length assessed by µCT increased from 12.2 ± 0.8 mm at week 6 to 15.8 ± 0.2 mm at week 22. The time constant of the fitted Gompertz law was equal to 26.7 days. A correlation index of −0.97 was found between femur growth and decrease of bone tracer activity count between week 6 and 24.

Conclusion

This methodological study demonstrates the potential of repeated bone planar scintigraphy in growing mice, with subcutaneous route for tracer administration, for quantitative assessment of bone remodeling.

Translational studies provide insights for the etiology and treatment of cortical bone osteoporosis

Increasing attention is being focused on the important contributions of cortical bone to bone strength, fractures and osteoporosis therapies. Recent progress in human genome wide association studies in combination with high-throughput mouse gene knockout phenotyping efforts of multiple genes and advanced conditional gene inactivation in mouse models have successfully identified genes with crucial roles in cortical bone homeostasis. Particular attention in this review is given to genes, such as WNT16, POSTN and SFRP4, that differentially affect cortical and trabecular bone architecture. We propose that animal models of cortical bone metabolism will substantially contribute to developing anabolic osteoporosis therapies that improve cortical bone mass and reduce non-vertebral fracture risk.

Organ and tissue level properties are more sensitive to age than osteocyte lacunar characteristics in rat cortical bone

Modeling and remodeling induce significant changes of bone structure and mechanical properties with age. Therefore, it is important to gain knowledge of the processes taking place in bone over time. The rat is a widely used animal model, where much data has been accumulated on age-related changes of bone on the organ and tissue level, whereas features on the nano- and micrometer scale are much less explored. We investigated the age-related development of organ and tissue level bone properties such as bone volume, bone mineral density, and load to fracture and correlated these with osteocyte lacunar properties in rat cortical bone. Femora of 14 to 42-week-old female Wistar rats were investigated using multiple complementary techniques including X-ray micro-computed tomography and biomechanical testing. The body weight, femoral length, aBMD, load to fracture, tissue volume, bone volume, and tissue density were found to increase rapidly with age at 14–30 weeks. At the age of 30–42 weeks, the growth rate appeared to decrease. However, no accompanying changes were found in osteocyte lacunar properties such as lacunar volume, ellipsoidal radii, lacunar stretch, lacunar oblateness, or lacunar orientation with animal age. Hence, the evolution of organ and tissue level properties with age in rat cortical bone is not accompanied by related changes in osteocyte lacunar properties. This suggests that bone microstructure and bone matrix material properties and not the geometric properties of the osteocyte lacunar network are main determinants of the properties of the bone on larger length scales.

Calcified cartilage islands in rat cortical bone

Rats display little to no haversian remodeling of cortical bone. This fact, combined with the endochondral formation of cortical bone, means that rat femoral cortical bone contains highly mineralized cartilage islands in a central band of mid-femoral cross sections. We demonstrate that these islands have a significantly higher degree of mineralization than the surrounding bone, using quantitative backscattered electron imaging. The cartilaginous nature of the islands was verified by immunostaining for collagen type II. Toluidine blue staining of longitudinal sections and three-dimensional synchrotron radiation X-ray tomographic microscopy confirmed that the islands are elongated along the femoral long axis. Nanoindentation revealed significantly higher values of both reduced modulus and hardness in the islands compared to the surrounding bone, reflecting a higher degree of mineralization. The calcified cartilage islands were distributed in a central zone of the bone, from the growth plates through the mid-femoral bone. The presence of these cartilage islands and their possible effect on mechanical properties could be an additional reason why haversian remodeling is observed in higher-order species.

Interaction between exercise, dietary restriction and age-related bone loss in a rodent model of male senile osteoporosis

BACKGROUND

The pathophysiology of age-related bone loss and whether age-related bone loss can be prevented by exercise are still a matter of debate.

OBJECTIVE

It was the aim of this study to investigate the long-term effects of exercise and mild food restriction on bone mineral density (BMD) and bone geometry in the appendicular skeleton of aging male rats.

METHODS

Male Sprague-Dawley rats were studied from 5 to 23 months of age. The rats were divided into 4 groups: baseline, free access to food and running wheels (RW), fed to pair weight with the RW group (PW) and sedentary control animals with free access to food (SED). All rats were housed individually. Volumetric BMD and geometry of femurs and tibiae were assessed by peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT). In addition, the tibial shafts were analyzed by cortical bone histomorphometry.

RESULTS

At the end of the experiment, RW and PW rats had similar body weight. The body weight of SED rats was 31% greater than that of RW rats. pQCT analysis of femurs and tibiae as well as histomorphometric analysis of the tibial shafts showed that dietary restriction resulted in an enlargement of the marrow cavity and cortical thinning at the femoral and tibial shafts relative to the RW and SED groups. Voluntary running exercise provided no additional protection against age-related bone loss when compared with the 31% heavier SED control rats. Neither exercise nor increased body weight in SED animals could completely prevent age-related bone loss between 19 and 23 months of age.

CONCLUSION

We conclude that dietary restriction had clear negative effects on BMD and bone geometry and that running wheel exercise provided partial protection but could not prevent age-related bone loss.

Influence of physical exercise and food restriction on the biomechanical properties of the femur of ageing male rats

BACKGROUND

Voluntary running in wheels as well as food reduction increase the life spans of rats. Disparate parameters such as the collagen biomarker of ageing and the development of kidney pathologies are decreased by voluntary exercise. There are few reports on the influence of physical exercise and food restriction on the skeleton of male rats. Most investigations initiated rather short-term interventions in 4- to 5-week-old animals and thus studied more the influence of growth than the influence of ageing on the skeleton.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the effects of physical exercise and food restriction on the biomechanical properties of bone tissue of ageing male rats with the interventions starting at the age of 5 months with the end point at 23 months. This enables the study of the influence of these interventions on the ageing of the skeleton.

METHODS

Five groups of male Sprague-Dawley rats were used: baseline (BL), voluntarily running in wheels (RW), food restriction to attain pair weight with RW animals (PW), forced running in treadmills (TM), and sedentary controls (SE). The biomechanical properties of femoral neck, diaphysis, and distal metaphysis were measured.

RESULTS

While the body weights and fat-free mass increased from BL to SE group, the occiput-sacrum length did not increase and the length of the femur increased marginally. These lengths were slightly retarded in RW and PW groups compared to the SE group. The strength of the distal femoral metaphysis decreased from BL to SE group. This decrease was counteracted by physical exercise (RW and TM groups) as well as by food restriction (PW group). In contrast, the strength of the femoral mid-diaphysis did not differ between BL and SE groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The distal metaphysis in the male rat femur is more prone to decreasing biomechanical strength than the diaphysis during ageing. Physical exercise, when started at the age of 5 months, when the skeleton has reached its adult size, is somewhat effective in counteracting these changes. There is also some retarding effect of food restriction.

The mechanobiological effects of periosteal surface loads

We have developed an improved mechanobiological model of bone morphogenesis and functional adaptation that includes the influences of periosteum tension and pressure on bone formation and resorption. Previous models assumed that periosteal and endosteal bone deposition and resorption rates are governed only by the local intracortical daily stress or strain stimulus caused by cyclic loading. The new model incorporates experimental findings that pressures on periosteal surfaces can impede bone formation or induce bone resorption, whereas periosteal tensile strains perpendicular to bone surfaces can impede bone resorption or induce bone formation. We propose that these effects can produce flattened or concave bone surfaces in regions of periosteal pressure and bone ridges in regions of periosteal tension. The model was implemented with computer simulations to illustrate the role of adjacent muscles on the development of the triangular cross-sectional geometry of the rat tibia. The results suggest that intracortical stresses dictate bone size, whereas periosteal pressures may work in combination with intracortical stresses and other mechanobiological factors in the development of local bone cross-sectional shapes.

Fibroblast Growth Factor-2 Augments Recombinant Human Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2-Induced Osteoinductive Activity

The osteoinductive activity induced by recombinant human BMP-2 (rhBMP-2) blunts proportionately as the recipient ages. In order to compensate for this bluntness administration of fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) has been considered. The aim of this study was to determine whether FGF-2 administration augments osteoinductive activity caused by rhBMP-2 and to evaluate the effect of aging on bone formation induced by coadministration of rhBMP-2 and FGF-2. Sixty-four Wistar strain male rats of 8-week-old (prepubertal) and 16-week-old (postpubertal) received bone defects bilaterally in the parietal bone and the defects were filled by a polylactic acid polyglycolic acid copolymer/gelatin sponge (PGS) impregnated with rhBMP-2 plus 0 ng, 25 ng, and 250 ng FGF-2 (n=10 in each). At 2 weeks after grafting, the new bone volume seemed to be larger in the rhBMP-2+FGF-2 groups than in the rhBMP-2 alone group. At 4 weeks, the new bone formation was linked to the adjacent original bone. In the prepubertal rats, all newly formed bone was similarly calcified. In the postpubertal rats, only the rhBMP-2+25 ng FGF-2 group showed this higher degree of calcification. At 2 weeks, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity in the rhBMP-2+25 ng FGF-2 group was significantly (p<0.05) larger than that in the rhBMP-2 group in both prepubertal and postpubertal rats. This result shows that low-dose administration of FGF-2 enhanced the degree of calcification and ALP activity in the rhBMP-2 grafting site especially in the postpubertal rats. Therefore, FGF-2 would be a candidate to compensate for the reduction of osteoinductive activity of rhBMP-2 with aging.

Age-Related Changes in Bone Mineral Density, Cross-Sectional Area and the Strength of Long Bones in the Hind Limbs and First Lumbar Vertebra in Female Wistar Rats

Age-related changes in bone mineral density (BMD) and cross-sectional area and bone strength index (SSI) of the femur, tibia, humerus, and first lumbar vertebra in female Wistar (WM/MsNrs) rats were examined by a quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) method. One hundred and sixteen virgin female Wistar (WM/MsNrs) rats aged 2-33 months were used. The data indicate that the total BMD values of metaphyses and diaphyses of long bones increased until 12 months, then decreased to a varying degree depending on the bone after 15-24 months, but the values of cortical and trabecular BMD with age were not always similar to the total BMD value. Nevertheless, the values for cross-sectional area and SSI in the long bones increased regardless of the total BMD decrease with age, indicating that this increase might have been due to a characteristic of the modeling pattern in rats. The total and cortical BMD values in the first lumbar vertebra decreased after 18 months, and SSI did after 15 months. The data obtained in this study were compared with those obtained from males in a previous study. In conclusion, it was indicated that in this strain the rats over 12 months with the highest total BMD values in the femur and tibia, and before the onset of various tumors, are useful as a model animal for osteoporosis experiments and observation of senile bone change.

Glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis in the rat is prevented by the tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor, sodium orthovanadate

Glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis is characterized by decreased osteoblast numbers and a marked impairment of new bone formation. We found that, in vitro, dexamethasone inhibits both preosteoblast proliferation and mitogenic kinase activity in response to mitogens, and that inhibition of protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) using sodium orthovanadate prevents this. Therefore, dexamethasone may act by either upregulating antiproliferative PTPs or downregulating promitogenic tyrosine-phosphorylated substrates. In this study, osteoporosis was induced in 3.5-month-old rats by subcutaneous injection with methylprednisolone 3.5 mg/kg per day for 9 weeks. Rats were treated with steroid alone or in combination with 0.5 mg/mL sodium orthovanadate, administered continuously in drinking water. Steroid-treated bones were significantly (p < 0.005) osteopenic (according to dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) and physically weaker (p < 0.05) than controls. Quantitative bone histology confirmed a significant decrease in osteoid surfaces (p < 0.001), osteoblast numbers (p < 0.05), and rate of bone formation (p < 0.001). Concomitant treatment with vanadate largely prevented the densitometric, histologic, and physical abnormalities induced by prednisolone. This study supports our finding that PTPs are central to the negative regulation of osteoblast proliferation by glucocorticoids and, furthermore, suggests that PTP inhibitors such as sodium orthovanadate should be considered as novel anabolic agents for the treatment of steroid-induced osteoporosis.

Age-related changes in bone mineral density, cross-sectional area and strength at different skeletal sites in male rats

Age-related changes in bone mineral density (BMD), cross-sectional area and strength strain index (SSI) of the long bones in the limbs and first lumbar vertebra of male Wistar rats were measured by a peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) method. One hundred and ten rats aged 2-30 months were used. The results indicate that the total (cortical + trabecular), cortical and trabecular BMD values of the metaphysis and cortical BMD values of the diaphysis in the long bones varied for each bone and differed from those of the first lumbar vertebra. The total BMD of long bones showed high values at 6-21 months and then decreased, but these did not always coincide with cortical and trabecular BMD. The values of SSI in the long bones varied. The values of total and cortical BMD and SSI of lumbar vertebra increased for 6-12 months and then decreased, but the trabecular BMD increased after 12 months. The total area in both the long bones and the first lumbar vertebra increased with the decrease in cortical area and the increase in the trabecular area with increasing age. It was concluded that age-related changes in bones, similar to those observed in humans, could be observed in some bones and parameters, although the age in rats when the so-called peak bone mass appears in the whole skeleton could not be clearly determined.

Lasofoxifene (CP-336,156) protects against the age-related changes in bone mass, bone strength, and total serum cholesterol in intact aged male rats

The purpose of this study was to evaluate if long-term (6 months) treatment with lasofoxifene (LAS), a new selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM), can protect against age-related changes in bone mass and bone strength in intact aged male rats. Sprague-Dawley male rats at 15 months of age were treated (daily oral gavage) with either vehicle (n = 12) or LAS at 0.01 mg/kg per day (n = 12) or 0.1 mg/kg per day (n = 11) for 6 months. A group of 15 rats was necropsied at 15 months of age and served as basal controls. No significant change was found in body weight between basal and vehicle controls. However, an age-related increase in fat body mass (+42%) and decrease in lean body mass (-8.5%) was observed in controls. Compared with vehicle controls, LAS at both doses significantly decreased body weight and fat body mass but did not affect lean body mass. No significant difference was found in prostate wet weight among all groups. Total serum cholesterol was significantly decreased in all LAS-treated rats compared with both the basal and the vehicle controls. Both doses of LAS treatment completely prevented the age-related increase in serum osteocalcin. Peripheral quantitative computerized tomography (pQCT) analysis at the distal femoral metaphysis indicated that the age-related decrease in total density, trabecular density, and cortical thickness was completely prevented by treatment with LAS at 0.01 mg/kg per day or 0.1 mg/kg per day. Histomorphometric analysis of proximal tibial cancellous bone showed an age-related decrease in trabecular bone volume (TBV; -46%), trabecular number (Tb.N), wall thickness (W.Th), mineral apposition rate, and bone formation rate-tissue area referent. Moreover, an age-related increase in trabecular separation (Tb.Sp) and eroded surface was observed. LAS at 0.01 mg/kg per day or 0.1 mg/kg per day completely prevented these age-related changes in bone mass, bone structure, and bone turnover. Similarly, the age-related decrease in TBV and trabecular thickness (Tb.Th) and the age-related increase in osteoclast number (Oc.N) and osteoclast surface (Oc.S) in the third lumbar vertebral cancellous bone were completely prevented by treatment with LAS at both doses. Further, LAS at both doses completely prevented the age-related decrease in ultimate strength (-47%) and stiffness (-37%) of the fifth lumbar vertebral body. These results show that treatment with LAS for 6 months in male rats completely prevents the age-related decreases in bone mass and bone strength by inhibiting the increased bone resorption and bone turnover associated with aging. Further, LAS reduced total serum cholesterol and did not affect the prostate weight in these rats. Our data support the potential use of a SERM for protecting against the age-related changes in bone and serum cholesterol in elderly men.

Thermal stability of bone collagen as an indicator of bone turnover in gonadectomized and multiparous rats

Previous findings indicate that the thermal stability of bone collagen is related to age. In this study, collagen from rat bone with reported different turnover rates was investigated. Cortical and trabecular bone from femur were obtained from intact, ovariectomized, orchidectomized and multiparous breeder rats. Thermal stabilities of fibrillar collagen in decalcified bone matrix and molecular collagen obtained by pepsin treatment were measured as shrinkage (Ts) and 'melting' temperature (Tm), respectively. Both Ts and Tm of cortical collagen from intact female rats decreased in parallel with age as previously found in male rats indicating that Ts and Tm measurements are interchangeable techniques in characterizing the thermal stability of bone collagen. Tm of trabecular collagen from intact rats decreased with age, however, with a decay only one-third of that for cortical collagen. The different rates possibly reflect different ages of collagen due to remodeling activity present in trabecular and minimal in cortical bone. Compared with control rats the Tm of trabecular collagen from gonadectomized and multiparous rats with a reported increased trabecular turnover rate was elevated, whereas only minor variations in Tm of cortical collagen were found. In conclusion, the thermal stability of bone collagen decreases with the age of the collagen. Increased bone turnover implies elevated thermal stability of bone collagen. Thus, thermal stability of bone collagen appears to be an indicator of bone turnover.

Effects of zinc supplementation on vertebral and femoral bone mass in rats on strenuous treadmill training exercise

The hypothesis that a zinc (Zn) deficit may cause osteopenia in athletes is well founded. In rats exposed to strenuous exercise, we evaluated the effect of a zinc supplement on femoral and vertebral bone mass determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Four lots of 93-day-old female Wistar rats were studied. A control group of 30 rats were not manipulated (Zn- Ex- group). The experimental group of 40 rats was fed a diet supplemented with an additional 20% of Zn/kg of feed; this group was divided into two groups of 20 rats each, one that did not exercise (Zn+ Ex-) and one that did (Zn+ Ex+). A group of 15 rats exercised but did not receive a zinc supplement (Zn- Ex+ group). Training consisted of treadmill running for 5 out of 7 days over an 11-week period. Initial speed, running time, and treadmill speed were increased gradually. Analysis of variance with the Bonferroni/Dunn test showed that the length, weight, bone mineral content (BMC), and bone mineral density (BMD) of the femur were less in the Zn- Ex+ group than in the others (p < 0.008), and the weight, BMC, and BMD of the fifth lumbar vertebra also were lower in the Zn- Ex+ group than in the others (p < 0.008). These findings confirm the adverse effects of strenuous exercise (treadmill running) on bone tissue in rats and the effectiveness of zinc supplementation in preventing it.

Effect of dose, sex and age on the drug disposition of incadronate, a new bisphosphonate, in rat bone

We investigated the effects of dose, sex and age on the uptake and elimination of incadronate, a new biosphosphonate, in rat bone after intravenous administration. Following administration of 0.03-3 mg/kg to young male rats (age 7 weeks),intact drug concentration in humerus at 24 hr after administration (C24 hr) increased in a dose-dependent manner, indicating the linear uptake of the drug into bone. The estimated bone uptake clearance of 0.13 ml/min./g bone is comparable to the estimated plasma flow rate in bone, suggesting that uptake into bone is plasma flow-limited. Concentration from 24 hr after administration had declined bi-exponentially. Although t1/2 beta (350-444 days) was little altered among doses, t1/2 alpha was prolonged with increasing dose from 13.4 to 16.2 days. This effect seemed to be due to inhibition of bone resorption at higher doses resulting in the suppression of drug release from bone. No sex difference was seen on C24 hr in young rats, while the value in senescent (age 12 months) rats was 24% greater in females than in males. When comparing between ages it is seen that C24 hr values in senescent rats decreased to 50-66% of those in young rats. As for elimination from bone, t1/2 beta values in senescent rats were shortened to 76-79% of those in young rats. In contrast, little difference in t1/2 alpha was observed between ages or in either t1/2 alpha and t1/2 beta between sexes.

Calcium and vitamin D enriched diets increase and preserve vertebral mineral content in aging laboratory rats

To assess the long-term effect of vitamin D or calcium supplementation on the skeletal metabolism of aging laboratory rodents, 1.5-month-old female Wistar rats were fed with diets containing twice the concentration of vitamin D (group 2) and of calcium (group 3) as in the usual rat chow. Follow-up to 24 months of age did not show significant differences between the enriched-diet groups and the controls (group 1) in terms of the vertebral body weight and protein content. Significantly higher bone mineral contents were found in groups 2 and 3 than were found in controls, as revealed by an increased bone mineral density (BMD: +62%, group 2; +48%, group 3) and vertebral calcium content (+73%, group 2; +84%, group 3). The vertebral alkaline phosphatase enzymatic activity was significantly lower in the enriched diet groups than in controls (-47%, group 2; -45%, group 3). The ratio alkaline phosphatase/acid phosphatase activity was markedly reduced in groups 2 and 3 (-57% and -59%, respectively), which might indicate a diminished rate of bone turnover. The trabecular bone volume (BV/TV) decreased in all groups during senescence, being significantly elevated in group 3 as compared to controls. Vitamin D and calcium dietary supplementations increase the axial mineral bone content in laboratory rats and might reduce the bone turnover. Their influence on the trabecular bone volume has yet to be examined.

Mineral concentration gradients in rat femoral diaphyses measured by X-ray microtomography

The bone mineral concentrations of five rat femora were measured as a function of distance from the distal metaphysis by quantitative X-ray microtomography (XMT) at a resolution of approximately 23 x 23 x 15 microns3. Assuming the mineral phase of bone to be hydroxyapatite, Ca10 (PO4)6(OH)2, the mean cortical mineral concentration (CM) per transverse section was found to range from 1.33 to 1.47 g cm-3. Detectable variations in the bone mineral concentration between sections of femora from different animals could not be attributed to the age when the particular animal was sacrificed. An increase in CM with distance, L, from the distal growth plate was observed and a saturating exponential equation, CM = a - be-alpha L, was used to describe the changes. Each section of bone tissue was considered as a population of elementary volumes of bone (EVB) and L was related to the age of the EVB (TEVB). A simple model for the mineralization process of an EVB was then proposed. Each newly formed EVB accumulated mineral rapidly to give an initial mineral concentration of approximately 1.3 g cm-3 (parameter a-b). Their mineral concentrations then increased asymptotically to approximately 1.5 g cm-3 (parameter a) with a time constant of approximately 330 days. This slow maturation process is attributed to Ostwald ripening of the bone crystals with further crystal growth using ions from the extracellular fluid.

Age-dependent morphometric change in the lumbar vertebrae of male and female rats: comparison with the femur

The morphological parameters, bone area, marrow area, bone-to-bone+marrow ratio, periosteal-to-total bone surface ratio, and surface-to-volume ratio, were studied in the fourth and fifth lumbar vertebrae of male and female rats (Heiligenberg strain) between birth and the end of lifespan. With increasing age, the bone area and marrow area increased for all ages, whereas the bone-to-bone + marrow ratio, periosteal-to-total bone surface ratio, and surface-to volume ratio decreased during the first 150 days. Afterwards, the bone-to-bone + marrow ratio decreased, whereas the periosteal-to-total bone surface ratio and surface-to-volume ratio were nearly constant. Modelling data were measured by use of the vital labeling technique with calcein. From the stained bone area the bone formation and the bone resorption rates were calculated. The bone formation rate, about 8300%/year, was highest after birth and decreases continuously with increasing age to 14%/year. The bone resorption rate, about 1100%/year, was highest after birth and decreased continuously with increasing age to 9%/year, whereas for all ages the bone formation rate was higher than the bone resorption rate, which led to an increase in bone area. The values obtained for the lumbar vertebra are compared with literature data and with the corresponding data for the distal femur obtained under identical conditions.

Effects of magnesium deficiency on strength, mass, and composition of rat femur

Magnesium (Mg) participates in the normal formation and remodeling of bone. However, little is known about effects of Mg status on the biomechanical function of bone. We examined gross morphometry and composition as well as biomechanical properties of the femurs of male rats fed diets adequate or deficient in Mg. Comparison of deficient animals and controls yielded a number of differences (all significant at P < 0.05). Mg-depleted animals exhibited slow growth, inefficient food utilization, and greatly reduced concentrations of Mg in both serum and femur ash. Compared with controls, femurs from depleted animals were shorter, but wet weights, diameters, and midfemoral cross-sectional areas showed no differences. Bone length was reduced to a greater degree than could be accounted for by differences in body weights between the groups. Bones of Mg-deficient rats contained less dry matter and less ash (which contained more Ca/g) than those of controls, along with a higher percentage of moisture. Significantly reduced bone strength in depleted animals was evident from the lighter loads supported at the elastic limit (yield point) and at fracture and from decreased stresses accompanying those loads. Modulus of elasticity, however, was not affected by Mg depletion. Different yield and breaking loads were related to different body weights of groups, but stresses were reduced for deficient bones even after adjusting for body size. Our data establish abnormal biomechanical behavior of cortical bone in Mg-deficient animals and emphasize the importance of measuring such functional properties of bone in the assessment of responses to altered metabolic conditions under experimental conditions.

Microdistribution of 237Np in the skeleton of female rats

237Np nitrate was injected intravenously into 4-week-old (young) and 10-12-week-old (adult) female albino Sprague-Dawley rats. The amounts given were 52 (young), 5.2 (adult) and 26 kBq kg-1 body weight (adult). The microscopic distribution in the femur and the lumbar vertebrae was studied. Initially, neptunium was distributed uniformly on periosteal and endosteal bone surfaces, and additionally, activity was found in the vascular canals of hard tissue. Dose-rates and cumulative doses were found to increase from marrow to hard tissue, and periosteal and endosteal surfaces, the highest levels being found in the spongy bone of the distal femoral metaphysis. Initially, the highest dose rates were found in hard tissue of the distal femoral metaphysis (27 mGy per day per injected activity of 37 kBq kg-1), whereas periosteal bone surfaces showed levels of 65 mGy per day in all bone regions. One year later the normalized dose rates on the surfaces decreased to 10 or 15 mGy per day. After 1 year the cumulative doses in the 0-10 microns marrow layer on the endosteal bone surfaces were 8 (52 kBq kg-1, young), 2.1 (5.2 kBq kg-1, adult) and 8.7 Gy (26 kBq kg-1, adult). The microdosimetric findings were compared with the macroscopical doses of the whole skeleton.