Differences in composition of avian bone collagen following genetic selection for resistance to osteoporosis

1. Collagen characteristics were compared in the tibiotarsus and humerus from 103 females and 38 males aged 68 to 72 weeks from the G6 generation of lines of laying hen selected for resistance or susceptibility to osteoporosis (high and low bone index (BI) lines). 2. Selection over the latest generation resulted in further divergence in the breaking strengths of humerus (from 12.3 to 21.8%) and tibia (from 22.3 to 37.3%) in hens. Males also showed line differences in bone strengths. 3. Plasma pyridinoline concentration was higher in hens in the low BI line, suggesting a greater rate of bone resorption in this line. 4. There were few differences between the lines in collagen and calcium concentrations in humerus and tibiotarsus cortical bone. 5. There were no differences between the lines in either sex in reduced immature collagen cross-link content of humerus or tibiotarsus. 6. Mature collagen cross-link content was higher in the high BI line in the male humerus but this effect was not apparent in the male tibiotarsus nor in either bone in the females. 7. Pyrrolic cross-link contents were higher in the high BI line in the female humerus and tibiotarsus and in the male tibiotarsus. 8. Over both lines combined, there were positive correlations between humeral and tibiotarsal pyrrole contents and strengths in females and between tibiotarsal pyrrole content and strength in males. 9. It is concluded that an increase in cross-linking, particularly pyrrolic cross-linking, in the collagen matrix contributes in part to the improvement in bone strength in the high BI line.