Comparison of fracture healing among different inbred mouse strains

Quantitative trait locus analysis can be used to identify genes critically involved in biological processes. No such analysis has been applied to identifying genes that control bone fracture healing. To determine the feasibility of such an approach, healing of femur fractures was measured between C57BL/6, DBA/2, and C3H inbred strains of mice. Healing was assessed by radiography and histology and measured by histomorphometry and biomechanical testing. In all strains, radiographic bridging of the fracture was apparent after 3 weeks of healing. Histology showed that healing occurred through endochondral ossification in all strains. Histomorphometric measurements found more bone in the C57BL/6 fracture calluses 7 and 10 days after fracture. In contrast, more cartilage was present after 7 days in the C3H callus, which rapidly declined to levels less than those of C57BL/6 or DBA/2 mice by 14 days after fracture. An endochondral ossification index was calculated by multiplying the callus percent cartilage and bone areas as a measure of endochondral ossification. At 7 and 10 days after fracture, this value was higher in C57BL/6 mice. Using torsional mechanical testing, normalized structural and material properties of the C57BL/6 healing femurs were higher than values from the DBA/2 or C3H mice 4 weeks after fracture. The data indicate that fracture healing proceeds more rapidly in C57BL/6 mice and demonstrate that genetic variability significantly contributes to the process of bone regeneration. Large enough differences exist between C57BL/6 and DBA/2 or C3H mice to permit a quantitative trait locus analysis to identify genes controlling bone regeneration.