Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 31, 2026
Calcification of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells and Imaging of Aortic Calcification and Inflammation
Published on: May 31, 2016
Soft bone - hard arteries: a link?
1Service de Néphrologie, Centre Hospitalier Manhès, Fleury Mérogis, and INSERM U970, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Paris, France. glondon@club-internet.fr
Insights
Chronic kidney disease links bone disorders with cardiovascular calcifications. This review explores the bone-vascular axis, investigating mechanisms behind these interconnected health issues.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Orthopedics
- Cardiology
- Metabolic Bone Disease
Background:
- Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is linked to mineral and bone disorders, including cardiovascular calcifications.
- A significant inverse relationship exists between cardiovascular calcifications and bone mineral density or activity in CKD patients.
- The bone-vascular axis concept highlights the connection between bone health and arterial system changes, extending beyond the traditional kidney-bone axis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and illustrate potential mechanisms underlying the bone-vascular axis in CKD.
- To explore the interplay between bone disorders and vascular calcification.
- To discuss age-independent relationships between bone and vascular pathologies.
Main Methods:
- Review of experimental studies and clinical observations in general and CKD populations.
- Analysis of associations between histomorphometric indices of bone activity and vascular calcifications.
- Examination of evidence supporting the bone-vascular axis concept.
Main Results:
- Consistent association between arterial calcification and osteoporosis in various populations.
- Significant correlations between bone activity indices and vascular calcifications in CKD patients, even after age adjustment.
- Evidence suggests an age-independent causal relationship between bone and vascular changes.
Conclusions:
- The bone-vascular axis is a critical concept in understanding CKD complications.
- Potential mechanisms include arterial disease affecting bone, shared dysmetabolic factors, or bone's influence on the vasculature.
- Further research is needed to elucidate the precise factors driving these bone-vascular associations.
Abstract:
Chronic kidney disease is characterized by mineral and various bone disorders associated with extraosseous and cardiovascular calcifications. Experimental studies and clinical observations in the general population and in chronic kidney disease patients show an inverse relationship between the extent of cardiovascular calcifications and bone mineral density or bone metabolic activity. Arterial calcification and osteoporosis are frequently observed in the same subjects and progress in parallel in postmenopausal women, and associations between histomorphometric indices of bone activity and vascular calcifications were also observed in patients with chronic and end-stage kidney diseases. The biological linkage between vascular calcifications and bone changes is certainly a part of the aging process, but in many studies these bone-vascular associations remained significant after adjustment for age, which suggests an age-independent causal relationship. Based on clinical and experimental evidence showing an association between bone disorders and functional and structural changes of the arterial system the concept of a bone-vascular axis was established complementary to the classical kidney-bone axis. Nevertheless, the factors or mechanisms accounting for these associations are not well understood, and could result from (1) arterial disease responsible for bone abnormalities; (2) action of common dysmetabolic or 'toxic' factors and mechanisms acting on bones and vessels, or (3) direct or indirect influence of bone cells and metabolism on the arterial system. This short review aims to illustrate these possible mechanisms.
Related Concept Videos
01:29Blood and Nerve Supply to the Bones
Nutrient Artery
The nutrient artery is the main blood vessel that enters the diaphysis via the nutrient foramen. While most long bones have only one nutrient foramen, large bones, such as the femur, may have two. This...
01:26Bone Markings
Articulating Projections
Articulating projections are found where two bones meet to form a joint. These structures are usually found at the ends of bones. The largest articulation is a rounded projection called the head, supported by a narrow neck at the ends of...
01:27Compact Bone
Compact bone, also called cortical bone, is the denser, stronger of the two types of bone tissue. It is found under the periosteum and in the diaphyses of long bones, where it provides support and protection. The microscopic structural unit of compact bone is called an osteon, or haversian system. Each osteon is composed of concentric rings of calcified...
01:09Spongy Bone
Spongy bone is more porous, and less dense compared to compact bone. It is composed of concentric lamellae that are arranged irregularly to form the trabecular network. In some bones, the spaces between trabeculae contain red marrow, where...
01:17Gross Anatomy of Bone
The diaphysis is the tubular shaft that runs between the proximal and distal ends of the bone. The walls of the diaphysis are composed of dense and hard compact bone made of numerous osteons — the functional unit of the compact bone. The hollow region in the diaphysis is called the medullary cavity, which harbors the bone marrow. In infants and children, this marrow cavity is filled with red marrow, whereas in adults, it...
01:23Bone as Supporting Connective Tissue
Bone Matrix
Bone, or osseous tissue, is a connective tissue that has a large amount of two different types of matrix material. The organic matrix is similar to the matrix material found in other connective tissues, including some amount of collagen and elastic fibers. This gives strength and flexibility to the tissue. The inorganic matrix consists of mineral salts— mostly calcium salts— that give the...