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Related Concept Videos

Compact Bone01:27

Compact Bone

Most bones contain compact and spongy osseous tissue, but their distribution and concentration vary based on the bone's overall function.
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...
Classification of Bones01:18

Classification of Bones

The bones of the human skeletal system are of varied shapes, sizes, and functions. They can be classified based on their shape and function into four major classes: long bones, short bones, flat bones, and irregular bones. Some classifications include a fifth type, the sesamoid bones, as a separate class, whereas others categorize them under short bones.
Long and Short Bones
The appendicular skeleton, particularly the upper and lower limbs, is primarily made of long and short bones. The long...
Bone Formation by Endochondral Ossification01:24

Bone Formation by Endochondral Ossification

Bone formation, or ossification, begins around the sixth to seventh week of embryonic development. Most bones develop from a cartilaginous template through the process of endochondral ossification. Cartilage formation begins when clusters of mesenchymal cells differentiate into chondrocytes. These chondrocytes proliferate rapidly and secrete an extracellular matrix that becomes encased in a membrane called the perichondrium. The resulting cartilage model provides a template that resembles the...
Bone as Supporting Connective Tissue01:23

Bone as Supporting Connective Tissue

Bone tissue forms the internal skeleton of vertebrate animals, providing structure to the body.
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...
Gross Anatomy of Bone01:17

Gross Anatomy of Bone

The two main features of a long bone are the diaphysis and the epiphysis.
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...
Bone Structure01:55

Bone Structure

Within the skeletal system, the structure of a bone, or osseous tissue, can be exemplified in a long bone, like the femur, where there are two types of osseous tissue: cortical and cancellous.

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Differentiation and Characterization of Osteoclasts from Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
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Differentiating fragmented human and nonhuman long bone using osteon circularity.

Annamaria Crescimanno1, Sam D Stout

  • 1Human Biology Department, University of Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA. crescimannoa@gmail.com

Journal of Forensic Sciences
|November 23, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Osteon circularity in bone histology can differentiate human from nonhuman remains when DNA is unavailable. This method offers a practical approach for forensic anthropology and archaeology.

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Area of Science:

  • Forensic Anthropology
  • Archaeology
  • Histology
  • Bioarchaeology

Background:

  • Distinguishing human from nonhuman bone is crucial in forensic and archaeological contexts, especially with fragmentary remains where DNA analysis is not feasible.
  • Histological examination of bone offers an accessible and cost-effective alternative for identification.
  • Osteon morphology, specifically circularity, is proposed as a potential metric for differentiating species.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the potential of osteon circularity as a reliable method for distinguishing fragmented human and nonhuman long bones.
  • To test the hypothesis that osteons are more circular in nonhuman bone than in human bone.

Main Methods:

  • Standard histological techniques were employed for bone sample preparation.
  • Image analysis software was utilized to quantify osteon circularity, with adjustments for Haversian canal size.
  • Statistical analyses, including homogeneity testing, were performed on human and nonhuman samples across different sexes and skeletal elements.

Main Results:

  • No significant differences in osteon circularity were observed between human sexes or among different nonhuman species.
  • Significant variations in osteon circularity were found among skeletal elements within both human and nonhuman groups.
  • A highly significant difference in osteon circularity was detected between pooled human and nonhuman bone samples (p < 0.001).

Conclusions:

  • Osteon circularity is a viable metric for differentiating fragmented human and nonhuman long bones.
  • This histological approach provides a practical and affordable tool for forensic and archaeological identification when DNA analysis is not possible.