Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 21, 2026

Direct Mouse Trauma/Burn Model of Heterotopic Ossification
Published on: August 6, 2015
In vivo model of human post-traumatic heterotopic ossification demonstrates early fibroproliferative signature
Jaira F de Vasconcellos1,2, Sonia Zicari1,2, Stephen D Fernicola1
1Department of Surgery, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center & Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences, 4801 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD, 20889, USA.
Background:
The relationship between the tissue injury healing response and development of heterotopic ossification (HO) is poorly understood. Here we compare a rat blast model and human traumatized muscle from a blast injury to study the early signatures of osteogenesis and fibrosis during the formation of HO.
Methods:
Rat and human tissues were characterized using histology, scanning electron microscopy, immunohistochemistry, as well as gene and protein expression analysis. Additionally, animals and humans were assessed radiographically for HO formation following injury.
Results:
Markers of bone formation were dramatically increased in tissue samples from both humans and rats, and both displayed increased fibroproliferative regions within the injured tissues and elevated expression of markers of tissue fibrosis such as TGF-β1, Fibronectin, SMAD3 and PAI-1. Markers of inflammation and fibrosis (ACTA, TNFα, BMP1 and BMP3) were elevated at the RNA level in both rat and human samples. By day 42, bone formation in the rat blast model appeared similar in radiographs compared to human patients who progressed to develop post-traumatic HO.
Conclusions:
Our data demonstrates that a similar early fibrotic response is evident in both the rat blast model and the human tissues following a traumatic injury and demonstrates the relevance of this animal model for future translational studies.
Related Concept Videos
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
Symptoms and Behavioral Manifestations
A spectrum of distressing symptoms characterizes PTSD. Recurrent flashbacks, where individuals involuntarily relive traumatic events,...
Bone Formation by Intramembranous Ossification
The process begins when mesenchymal cells in the embryonic skeleton gather together and differentiate into osteogenic cells, which then develop into ...
Bone Formation by Endochondral Ossification
Traumatic Memory
¹H NMR Chemical Shift Equivalence: Homotopic and Heterotopic Protons
Post-translational Translocation of Proteins to the RER
Targeting proteins to the ER
Hsp40 and Hsp70 chaperone molecules bind the translated proteins in the cytosol to prevent their folding. The chaperone binding helps to keep the signal...

