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Are distributions of secondary osteon variants useful for interpreting load history in mammalian bones?
Abstract: In cortical bone, basic multicellular units (BMUs) produce secondary osteons that mediate adaptations, including variations in their population densities and cross-sectional areas. Additional important BMU-related adaptations might include atypical secondary osteon morphologies (zoned, connected, drifting, elongated, multiple canal). These variants often reflect osteonal branching that enhances toughness by increasing interfacial (cement line) complexity. If these characteristics correlate with strain mode/magnitude-related parameters of habitual loading, then BMUs might produce adaptive differences in unexpected ways. Methods: We carried out examinations in bones loaded in habitual torsion (horse metacarpals) or bending: sheep, deer, elk, and horse calcanei, and horse radii. Atypical osteons were quantified in backscattered images from anterior, posterior, medial, and lateral cortices. Correlations were determined between atypical osteon densities, densities of all secondary osteons, and associations with habitual strain mode/magnitude or transcortical location. Results: Osteon variants were not consistently associated with 'tension', 'compression', or neutral axis ('shear') regions, even when considering densities or all secondary osteons, or only osteon variants associated with relatively increased interfacial complexity. Similarly, marrow- and strain-magnitude-related associations were not consistent. Conclusions: These data do not support the hypothesis that spatial variations in these osteon variants are useful for inferring a habitual bending or torsional load strain history.
Copyright 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel.
Publication Date: 2007-06-26 PubMed ID: 17587802DOI: 10.1159/000102176Google Scholar: Lookup The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Comparative Study
- Journal Article
Summary
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This research investigates if the presence of secondary osteon variants in the cortical bone tissue of mammals can be utilized to comprehend their habitual loading patterns. However, the study found no consistent correlation between these osteon variants and various strain types, suggesting these variants might not provide useful insight into an organism’s load history.
Research Aims and Methods
- The goal of this research was to understand whether secondary osteon variants in mammalian bones could provide insights into their ‘load-bearing history’. These osteon variants often represent a form of adaptation in basic multicellular units (BMUs), which have a significant role in producing secondary osteons critical for cement line complexity and bone toughness.
- The researchers performed thorough examinations on a variety of bones subjected to habitual torsion or bending stresses, including those from horses, sheep, deer, and elk.
- Backscattered images from different cortices of bone samples were used to quantify atypical osteons. Researchers studied any potential correlations between densities of these osteon variants, overall secondary osteon densities, and any associations with strain mode/magnitude or transcortical location.
Research Findings
- The study found that osteon variants were not consistently associated with the ‘tension’, ‘compression’, or neutral axis (‘shear’) regions, regardless of whether the researchers considered the densities of all secondary osteons or only osteon variants associated with increased cement line complexity.
- Moreover, associations related to the marrow and strain magnitude were also inconsistent.
Research Conclusion
- The inconsistency of findings across different strain types and locations led the researchers to conclude that the distribution of secondary osteon variants in mammalian bones may not be a reliable indicator for interpreting habitual load-bearing or tension history.
- This research suggests that while secondary osteon variants may play a role in bone adaptation, their distribution does not necessarily correlate directly with the habitual loading faced by an organism.
Cite This Article
APA
Skedros JG, Sorenson SM, Jenson NH.
(2007).
Are distributions of secondary osteon variants useful for interpreting load history in mammalian bones?
Cells Tissues Organs, 185(4), 285-307.
https://doi.org/10.1159/000102176 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Utah, Utah 84107, USA. jskedros@utahboneandjoint.com
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Bone Density
- Bone Development / physiology
- Bone Remodeling
- Calcaneus / embryology
- Calcaneus / growth & development
- Calcaneus / ultrastructure
- Deer
- Fetus / embryology
- Fetus / physiology
- Haversian System / cytology
- Haversian System / ultrastructure
- Horses
- Mammals
- Models, Biological
- Radius / embryology
- Radius / growth & development
- Radius / ultrastructure
- Sheep
- Weight-Bearing
Citations
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- Skedros JG, Doutré MS. Collagen fiber orientation pattern, osteon morphology and distribution, and presence of laminar histology do not distinguish torsion from bending in bat and pigeon wing bones. J Anat 2019 Jun;234(6):748-763.
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- Skedros JG. A 50-year perspective on the use and potential of artiodactyl calcanei in bone adaptation studies. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2026 Feb;101(1):437-485.
- Skedros JG, Dayton MR, Cronin JT, Mears CS, Bloebaum RD, Wang X, Bachus KN. Roles of collagen cross-links and osteon collagen/lamellar morphotypes in equine third metacarpals in tension and compression tests. J Exp Biol 2024 Jul 15;227(14).
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