Spatial distribution of osteocyte lacunae in equine radii and third metacarpals: considerations for cellular communication, microdamage detection and metabolism.
Abstract: Osteocytes, which are embedded in bone matrix, are the most abundant cells in bone. Despite the ideal location of osteocytes to sense the local environment and influence bone remodeling, their functions, and the relative importance of these functions, remain controversial. In this study, we tested several hypotheses that address the possibilities that population densities of osteocyte lacunae (Ot.Lc.N/B.Ar) correlate with strain-, remodeling- or metabolism-related aspects of the local biomechanical environments of mid-third diaphyseal equine radii and third metacarpals from skeletally mature animals. Ot.Lc.N/B.Ar data, quantified in multiple cortical locations, were analyzed for possible correlations with (1) structural and material characteristics (e.g., cortical thickness, percent ash, secondary osteon population density, mean osteon cross-sectional area, and predominant collagen fiber orientation), (2) strain characteristics, including prevalent/predominant strain magnitude and mode (tension, compression, shear), (3) hypothesized strain-mode-related microdamage characteristics, which might be perceived by osteocyte 'operational' networks, and (4) variations in remodeling dynamics and/or metabolism (i.e. presumably higher in endocortical regions than in other transcortical locations). Results showed relatively uniform Ot.Lc.N/B.Ar between regions with highly non-uniform strain and strain-related environments and markedly heterogeneous structural and material organization. These results suggest that population densities of these cells are poorly correlated with mechanobiological characteristics, including local variations in metabolic rate and strain magnitude/mode. Although osteocytes hypothetically evolved both as strain sensors and fatigue damage sensors able to direct the removal of damage as needed, the mechanisms that govern the distribution of these cells remain unclear. The results of this study provide little or no evidence that the number of osteocyte lacunae has a functional role in mechanotransduction pathways that are typically considered in bone adaptation.
Publication Date: 2005-12-07 PubMed ID: 16330878DOI: 10.1159/000088938Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
- Research Support
- U.S. Gov't
- Non-P.H.S.
Summary
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The study investigates the relationship between the population densities of osteocyte lacunae, spaces occupied by bone cells called osteocytes, and factors related to strain, bone remodeling, and metabolism in horses’ radii and third metacarpals. The findings suggest that the population densities of these cells show little correlation with mechanobiological characteristics of the bone or with the metabolic rate and strain magnitude/mode. The exact mechanisms influencing osteocyte distribution remain unclear.
Research Objectives
- The research seeks to understand whether the population densities of osteocyte lacunae (Ot.Lc.N/B.Ar) correlate with strain, remodeling, or metabolism-related aspects of the biomechanical environments of mid-third diaphyseal equine radii and third metacarpals.
- The study aims to analyze Ot.Lc.N/B.Ar data from multiple cortical locations to discover any potential correlations with various factors – structural and material characteristics, strain characteristics, hypothesized strain-mode-related microdamage characteristics, and variations in remodeling dynamics and/or metabolism.
- It also explores the evolutionary hypotheses that osteocytes developed as strain and fatigue damage sensors capable of directing damage removal when needed.
Research Findings
- The results showed a relatively uniform Ot.Lc.N/B.Ar distribution in regions with highly non-uniform strain and strain-related environments and significantly heterogeneous structural and material organization.
- This suggests that the population densities of osteocytes are poorly correlated with mechanobiological characteristics, local variations in metabolic rate, and strain magnitude/mode.
- The study found little or no evidence supporting the notion that the number of osteocyte lacunae plays a functional role in mechanotransduction pathways typically considered in bone adaptation.
Conclusion
- While osteocytes theoretically evolved as strain sensors and fatigue damage detectors, the mechanisms that govern their distribution remain undiscovered.
- This study presents that the population densities of these cells have a minimal correlation with mechanobiological characteristics or local variations in metabolic rate and strain magnitude/mode.
- The role of the osteocyte lacunae population in mechanotransduction pathways that influence bone adaptation appears to be limited or nonexistent, based on this study’s findings.
Cite This Article
APA
Skedros JG, Grunander TR, Hamrick MW.
(2005).
Spatial distribution of osteocyte lacunae in equine radii and third metacarpals: considerations for cellular communication, microdamage detection and metabolism.
Cells Tissues Organs, 180(4), 215-236.
https://doi.org/10.1159/000088938 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, USA. jskedros@utahboneandjoint.com
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Bone Density
- Cell Communication
- Diaphyses / cytology
- Diaphyses / injuries
- Diaphyses / metabolism
- Forelimb / anatomy & histology
- Horses / anatomy & histology
- Horses / injuries
- Horses / metabolism
- Metacarpus / cytology
- Metacarpus / injuries
- Metacarpus / metabolism
- Models, Biological
- Osteocytes / physiology
- Radius / anatomy & histology
- Radius / cytology
- Radius / injuries
- Radius / metabolism
- Stress, Mechanical
Citations
This article has been cited 12 times.- Nguyen JT, Barak MM. Secondary osteon structural heterogeneity between the cranial and caudal cortices of the proximal humerus in white-tailed deer. J Exp Biol 2020 Jun 11;223(Pt 11).
- Turcotte CM, Green DJ, Kupczik K, McFarlin S, Schulz-Kornas E. Elevated activity levels do not influence extrinsic fiber attachment morphology on the surface of muscle-attachment sites. J Anat 2020 May;236(5):827-839.
- Cummaudo M, Cappella A, Giacomini F, Raffone C, Màrquez-Grant N, Cattaneo C. Histomorphometric analysis of osteocyte lacunae in human and pig: exploring its potential for species discrimination. Int J Legal Med 2019 May;133(3):711-718.
- Mosey H, Núñez JA, Goring A, Clarkin CE, Staines KA, Lee PD, Pitsillides AA, Javaheri B. Sost Deficiency does not Alter Bone's Lacunar or Vascular Porosity in Mice. Front Mater 2017 Sep 13;4:27.
- Hunter RL, Agnew AM. Intraskeletal variation in human cortical osteocyte lacunar density: Implications for bone quality assessment. Bone Rep 2016 Dec;5:252-261.
- Javaheri B, Carriero A, Staines KA, Chang YM, Houston DA, Oldknow KJ, Millan JL, Kazeruni BN, Salmon P, Shefelbine S, Farquharson C, Pitsillides AA. Phospho1 deficiency transiently modifies bone architecture yet produces consistent modification in osteocyte differentiation and vascular porosity with ageing. Bone 2015 Dec;81:277-291.
- Cullen TM, Evans DC, Ryan MJ, Currie PJ, Kobayashi Y. Osteohistological variation in growth marks and osteocyte lacunar density in a theropod dinosaur (Coelurosauria: Ornithomimidae). BMC Evol Biol 2014 Nov 25;14:231.
- Carter Y, Suchorab JL, Thomas CD, Clement JG, Cooper DM. Normal variation in cortical osteocyte lacunar parameters in healthy young males. J Anat 2014 Sep;225(3):328-36.
- Stein KW, Werner J. Preliminary analysis of osteocyte lacunar density in long bones of tetrapods: all measures are bigger in sauropod dinosaurs. PLoS One 2013;8(10):e77109.
- Pazzaglia UE, Congiu T, Pienazza A, Zakaria M, Gnecchi M, Dell'orbo C. Morphometric analysis of osteonal architecture in bones from healthy young human male subjects using scanning electron microscopy. J Anat 2013 Sep;223(3):242-54.
- Skedros JG, Clark GC, Sorenson SM, Taylor KW, Qiu S. Analysis of the effect of osteon diameter on the potential relationship of osteocyte lacuna density and osteon wall thickness. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2011 Sep;294(9):1472-85.
- Zarrinkalam MR, Mulaibrahimovic A, Atkins GJ, Moore RJ. Changes in osteocyte density correspond with changes in osteoblast and osteoclast activity in an osteoporotic sheep model. Osteoporos Int 2012 Apr;23(4):1329-36.
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