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Related Concept Videos

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Bone Remodeling

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Bone remodeling is a continuous and balanced process of bone resorption by osteoclasts and bone formation by osteoblasts. In adults, it helps maintain bone mass and calcium homeostasis. While mechanical stress can stimulate turnover as part of the normal maintenance and reparative process, several hormones also regulate bone remodeling.
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Bones are dynamic organs that require a rich supply of oxygen and nutrients. Around 5% to 10% of the cardiac output supplies blood to the bones. A typical long bone has three main sources: the nutrient artery, the metaphyseal and epiphyseal arteries, and the periosteal arteries.
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The Bone Matrix01:18

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Bone contains a relatively small number of cells entrenched in a matrix of collagen fibers that provide an adherent surface for inorganic salt crystals. Both components of the matrix, organic and inorganic, contribute to the unusual properties of bone. Without collagen, bones would be brittle and shatter easily. Without mineral crystals, bones would flex and provide little support. This can be observed by an experiment: when the minerals of a bone are dissolved by soaking the bone in...
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Spongy Bone01:09

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All bones comprise an outer layer of compact bone, and an interior made up of spongy bone tissue, also called cancellous or trabecular bone. In long bones, spongy bone tissue is mainly found in the interior of the epiphyses (broad ends of the bone).
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In animal cells, the extracellular matrix allows cells within tissues to withstand external stresses and transmits signals from the outside of the cell to the inside. The extracellular matrix is extensive, and its composition varies between different types of tissues. For example, the reticular fibers and ground substance make up the ECM in loose connective tissue, while collagen and bone minerals make up the ECM of bone tissue. 
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A Lab-On-A-Chip Platform for Stimulating Osteocyte Mechanotransduction and Analyzing Functional Outcomes of Bone Remodeling
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HOW DO BONE CELLS SENSE MECHANICAL LOADING?

Carlos Vinícius Buarque de Gusmão1, William Dias Belangero2

  • 1Faculdade de Ciencias Médicas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP).

Revista Brasileira De Ortopedia
|March 30, 2016
PubMed
Summary

Bone cells sense mechanical stress through tissue structure, initiating biochemical signals like focal adhesion kinase (FAK) activation. This process, known as mechanotransduction, is key to regulating bone mass and remodeling.

Keywords:
Gap junctionsIon channelsMechanotransduction cellularOsteoblastsOsteocytesOsteogenesisStress mechanicalWeight-bearin

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Area of Science:

  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Cell Biology
  • Orthopedics

Background:

  • Bone tissue deformation, influenced by daily activities, impacts bone mass.
  • Impactful activities stimulate osteogenesis, potentially reducing bone loss.
  • Understanding cellular responses to mechanical stress is vital for orthopedic therapies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the cellular mechanisms of mechanotransduction in bone tissue.
  • To identify key proteins and pathways involved in bone's response to mechanical stimuli.
  • To explore the role of osteocytes in sensing and transmitting mechanical signals.

Main Methods:

  • The study focuses on the process of mechanotransduction, detailing the amplification of mechanical signals at the cellular level.
  • It highlights the role of integrins and the cytoskeleton in forming focal adhesions.
  • Key signaling proteins such as focal adhesion kinase (FAK), ERK-1/2, and Akt are identified as crucial regulators.

Main Results:

  • Mechanical deformation is amplified by bone's histological structure, causing integrin conformational changes.
  • Activated integrins lead to focal adhesion formation and recruitment of cytoplasmatic proteins, including self-activated FAK.
  • FAK activation initiates a signaling cascade involving ERK-1/2 and Akt, regulating bone mass production.

Conclusions:

  • Osteocytes act as mechanosensors, transmitting mechanical deformation to osteoblasts and osteoclasts.
  • Intercellular communication via ionic channels and gap junctions facilitates the transmission of mechanical stimuli.
  • These continuous cellular events are fundamental to bone remodeling and maintaining bone health.