Musculoskeletal responses of 2-year-old Thoroughbred horses to early training. 8. Quantitative back-scattered electron scanning electron microscopy and confocal fluorescence microscopy of the epiphysis of the third metacarpal bone.
Abstract: To characterise and explain the increase in density evident by computerised tomography (CT) and radiography in companion studies as a response to training, in bone in the palmar and dorsal regions of the condyles of the third metacarpal bone (Mc3) of 2-year-old Thoroughbred horses. Methods: Compositional back-scattered electron (BSE) imaging in scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and confocal scanning laser microscopy (CSLM) were conducted on polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA)-embedded mediolateral slices of the right distal Mc3 from seven 2-year-old Thoroughbred horses trained on a racetrack and seven untrained horses kept at pasture. One left Mc3 from each group was studied in transverse section planes. This study focussed on regions of Mc3 found to differ in density between the trained and untrained horses in companion studies using CT and radiography. Results: The increase of bone density in the condyles of Mc3 in trained horses compared with untrained horses occurred, without prior osteoclastic resorption, via the deposition of new bone on pre-existing internal surfaces. Within prior marrow spaces of cancellous bone, there was also rapid formation of immature strands and fronds of bone which were more cellular and mineralised, and more lamellar bone tissue was deposited on these new scaffolding elements in the trained horses. Both resulted in increased bone volume fraction (BVF). The microscopic mineralisation density of the bulk of the new tissue was lower than in pre-existing bone, and CT and radiography underestimated the increase in BVF. The new tissue was thus probably less stiff at the microscopic scale than pre-existing bone, though its addition would stiffen the global structure. Conclusions: In Mc3 of all the trained horses, there were obvious differences in microscopic structure compared with those from the untrained horses. Moderate, industry-standard levels of exercise used to prepare young horses for racing induced the formation of new bone in non-bone spaces in bone tissue, such that the bone organ should better withstand later increased levels of exercise.
Publication Date: 2005-04-23 PubMed ID: 15846396DOI: 10.1080/00480169.2005.36489Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Comparative Study
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research sought to understand the reasons behind increased bone density in Thoroughbred horses’ third metacarpal bone (Mc3) after training, observed through previous CT and radiography studies. Methods used included back-scattered electron (BSE) imaging in scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and confocal scanning laser microscopy (CSLM) performed on bone samples collected from both trained and untrained 2-year-old Thoroughbred horses. The study found that training without prior osteoclastic resorption resulted in increased bone density via new bone deposition on existing internal surfaces.
Methodology
- The researchers utilized compositional back-scattered electron (BSE) imaging in scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and confocal scanning laser microscopy (CSLM) to analyze bone samples.
- The samples were taken from the condyles of the third metacarpal bone (Mc3) of seven trained and seven untrained 2-year-old Thoroughbred horses.
- These samples were embedded in polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and studied in mediolateral and transverse section planes.
Results
- The training led to increased bone density in the Mc3 bone in trained horses, when compared with untrained ones. This occurred without prior osteoclastic resorption and was instead achieved through the deposition of new bone on pre-existing internal surfaces.
- New bone rapidly formed in previous marrow spaces of cancellous bone, resulting in immature strands and fronds of bone that were more cellular and mineralized, plus increased lamellar bone tissue deposition.
- This formation led to an increase in the bone volume fraction (BVF) – the new tissue, though less stiff at the microscopic level than pre-existing bone, would stiffen the overall bone structure.
- However, CT and radiography underestimated this BVF increase: the microscopic mineralization density of the new bone was lower than in pre-existing bone.
Conclusions
- The microscopic structure of the Mc3 bone in trained horses significantly differed from that of untrained horses.
- Training, even at moderate levels, induced the formation of new bone material in the bone tissue, thereby enhancing the bone’s structural strength to withstand increased levels of exercise in the future.
Cite This Article
APA
Boyde A, Firth EC.
(2005).
Musculoskeletal responses of 2-year-old Thoroughbred horses to early training. 8. Quantitative back-scattered electron scanning electron microscopy and confocal fluorescence microscopy of the epiphysis of the third metacarpal bone.
N Z Vet J, 53(2), 123-132.
https://doi.org/10.1080/00480169.2005.36489 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Biophysics, Centre for Oral Growth and Development, St Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, Whitechapel, London E11BB, England.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Bone Density / physiology
- Epiphyses / anatomy & histology
- Epiphyses / diagnostic imaging
- Epiphyses / physiology
- Epiphyses / ultrastructure
- Female
- Horses / anatomy & histology
- Horses / physiology
- Metacarpus / anatomy & histology
- Metacarpus / diagnostic imaging
- Metacarpus / physiology
- Metacarpus / ultrastructure
- Microscopy, Confocal / veterinary
- Microscopy, Electron, Scanning / veterinary
- Microscopy, Fluorescence
- Physical Conditioning, Animal / physiology
- Reference Values
- Tomography, X-Ray Computed / veterinary
Citations
This article has been cited 21 times.- Noordwijk KJ, Chen L, Ruspi BD, Schurer S, Papa B, Fasanello DC, McDonough SP, Palmer SE, Porter IR, Basran PS, Donnelly E, Reesink HL. Metacarpophalangeal Joint Pathology and Bone Mineral Density Increase with Exercise but Not with Incidence of Proximal Sesamoid Bone Fracture in Thoroughbred Racehorses.. Animals (Basel) 2023 Feb 24;13(5).
- Pearce DJ, Hitchens PL, Malekipour F, Ayodele B, Lee PVS, Whitton RC. Biomechanical and Microstructural Properties of Subchondral Bone From Three Metacarpophalangeal Joint Sites in Thoroughbred Racehorses.. Front Vet Sci 2022;9:923356.
- Palmer AL, Rogers CW, Stafford KJ, Gal A, Bolwell CF. Risk-Factors for Soft-Tissue Injuries, Lacerations and Fractures During Racing in Greyhounds in New Zealand.. Front Vet Sci 2021;8:737146.
- Crawford KL, Finnane A, Greer RM, Barnes TS, Phillips CJC, Woldeyohannes SM, Bishop EL, Perkins NR, Ahern BJ. Survival Analysis of Training Methodologies and Other Risk Factors for Musculoskeletal Injury in 2-Year-Old Thoroughbred Racehorses in Queensland, Australia.. Front Vet Sci 2021;8:698298.
- Boyde A. The Bone Cartilage Interface and Osteoarthritis.. Calcif Tissue Int 2021 Sep;109(3):303-328.
- Crawford KL, Finnane A, Greer RM, Phillips CJC, Bishop EL, Woldeyohannes SM, Perkins NR, Ahern BJ. A Prospective Study of Training Methods for Two-Year-Old Thoroughbred Racehorses in Queensland, Australia, and Analysis of the Differences in Training Methods between Trainers of Varying Stable Sizes.. Animals (Basel) 2021 Mar 25;11(4).
- Crawford KL, Finnane A, Phillips CJC, Greer RM, Woldeyohannes SM, Perkins NR, Kidd LJ, Ahern BJ. The Risk Factors for Musculoskeletal Injuries in Thoroughbred Racehorses in Queensland, Australia: How These Vary for Two-Year-Old and Older Horses and with Type of Injury.. Animals (Basel) 2021 Jan 21;11(2).
- Crawford KL, Finnane A, Greer RM, Phillips CJC, Woldeyohannes SM, Perkins NR, Ahern BJ. Appraising the Welfare of Thoroughbred Racehorses in Training in Queensland, Australia: The Incidence, Risk Factors and Outcomes for Horses after Retirement from Racing.. Animals (Basel) 2021 Jan 11;11(1).
- Crawford KL, Finnane A, Greer RM, Phillips CJC, Woldeyohannes SM, Perkins NR, Ahern BJ. Appraising the Welfare of Thoroughbred Racehorses in Training in Queensland, Australia: The Incidence and Type of Musculoskeletal Injuries Vary between Two-Year-Old and Older Thoroughbred Racehorses.. Animals (Basel) 2020 Nov 5;10(11).
- Martig S, Hitchens PL, Stevenson MA, Whitton RC. Subchondral bone morphology in the metacarpus of racehorses in training changes with distance from the articular surface but not with age.. J Anat 2018 Jun;232(6):919-930.
- Corsi A, Ippolito E, Robey PG, Riminucci M, Boyde A. Bisphosphonate-induced zebra lines in fibrous dysplasia of bone: histo-radiographic correlation in a case of McCune-Albright syndrome.. Skeletal Radiol 2017 Oct;46(10):1435-1439.
- Leitch VD, Di Cosmo C, Liao XH, O'Boy S, Galliford TM, Evans H, Croucher PI, Boyde A, Dumitrescu A, Weiss RE, Refetoff S, Williams GR, Bassett JHD. An Essential Physiological Role for MCT8 in Bone in Male Mice.. Endocrinology 2017 Sep 1;158(9):3055-3066.
- Shaw KA, Dunoski B, Mardis N, Pacicca D. Knee morphometric risk factors for acute anterior cruciate ligament injury in skeletally immature patients.. J Child Orthop 2015 Apr;9(2):161-8.
- Remoli C, Michienzi S, Sacchetti B, Consiglio AD, Cersosimo S, Spica E, Robey PG, Holmbeck K, Cumano A, Boyde A, Davis G, Saggio I, Riminucci M, Bianco P. Osteoblast-specific expression of the fibrous dysplasia (FD)-causing mutation Gsα(R201C) produces a high bone mass phenotype but does not reproduce FD in the mouse.. J Bone Miner Res 2015 Jun;30(6):1030-43.
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- Hamann N, Zaucke F, Dayakli M, Brüggemann GP, Niehoff A. Growth-related structural, biochemical, and mechanical properties of the functional bone-cartilage unit.. J Anat 2013 Feb;222(2):248-59.
- Eidelman N, Boyde A, Bushby AJ, Howell PG, Sun J, Newbury DE, Miller FW, Robey PG, Rider LG. Microstructure and mineral composition of dystrophic calcification associated with the idiopathic inflammatory myopathies.. Arthritis Res Ther 2009;11(5):R159.
- Muir P, Peterson AL, Sample SJ, Scollay MC, Markel MD, Kalscheur VL. Exercise-induced metacarpophalangeal joint adaptation in the Thoroughbred racehorse.. J Anat 2008 Dec;213(6):706-17.
- Bassett JH, Williams AJ, Murphy E, Boyde A, Howell PG, Swinhoe R, Archanco M, Flamant F, Samarut J, Costagliola S, Vassart G, Weiss RE, Refetoff S, Williams GR. A lack of thyroid hormones rather than excess thyrotropin causes abnormal skeletal development in hypothyroidism.. Mol Endocrinol 2008 Feb;22(2):501-12.
- Firth EC. The response of bone, articular cartilage and tendon to exercise in the horse.. J Anat 2006 Apr;208(4):513-26.
- Boyde A, Firth EC. Articular calcified cartilage canals in the third metacarpal bone of 2-year-old thoroughbred racehorses.. J Anat 2004 Dec;205(6):491-500.
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