[Experimental study on quick preparation of osteoporosis in vitro model]

To establish a rapid, simple, and economic method to prepare osteoporosis (OP) in vitro model.

Eighty pairs of fresh goat femur were collected from 18-month-old female goats and were randomly divided into 4 groups (20 pairs in each group). The femur was immersed decalcifying solution (18% EDTA) for 1-5 days (group B), 6-10 days (group C), and 11-15 days (group D), while group A had no treatment as control. Four pairs of femur were taken out every day. Quantitative computed tomography was used to scan the medial and lateral femoral condyles, and the bone mineral density (BMD) was calculated. Electronic universal testing machine was used to do three-point bending test and compress and tensile ultimate strenght test, and the mechanical parameters for femur were calculated.

With demineralized time passing, BMD of the medial and lateral femoral condyles were downtrend in groups A, B, C, and D, showing significant differences among 4 groups (P < 0.05); BMD of the lateral femoral condyle was significantly higher than that of the medial femoral condyle in each group (P < 0.05). The three-point bending test showed that broken load, ultimate strength, and elastic modulus of groups A and B were significantly higher than those of groups C and D (P < 0.05); but no significant difference was found between groups A and B, and between groups C and D (P > 0.05). Compress and tensile ultimate strength test showed that the compress and tensile ultimate strengths were significantly higher in group A than in groups C and D (P < 0.05), and in group B than in group D (P < 0.05), but no significant difference was found between groups A and B, between groups B and C, and between groups C and D (P > 0.05).

The 18% EDTA immersing for 6-15 days is a fast, simple, economical method to prepare an OP in vitro model of goat femur.