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Analysis and Imaging of Osteocytes
Published on: November 29, 2024
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Alterations in osteocyte lacunar morphology affect local bone tissue strains
Haniyeh Hemmatian1, Astrid D Bakker2, Jenneke Klein-Nulend2
1Biomechanics Section, Department of Mechanical Engineering, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Department of Oral Cell Biology, Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA), University of Amsterdam and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Movement Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Osteology and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials
|August 26, 2021
Summary
Osteocyte lacunar morphology significantly impacts bone mechanical environment. Larger, irregular lacunae increase strain, while smaller, rounder ones in older mice reduce it, affecting bone mechanotransduction.
Area of Science:
- Bone biology and mechanobiology
- Skeletal tissue biomechanics
- Cellular and tissue microenvironment
Background:
- Osteocytes remodel their perilacunar bone matrix, altering lacunar shape and size.
- Variations in lacunar morphology can influence the local mechanical environment experienced by osteocytes.
- Osteocytes are mechanosensitive cells, suggesting lacunar morphology changes may affect bone mechanotransduction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify the impact of osteocyte lacunar morphology on peri-lacunar bone tissue strains.
- To investigate how lacunar volume, orientation, and sphericity affect local mechanical strains.
- To compare the effects of lacunar morphology on bone strains in young versus old mice.
Main Methods:
- High-resolution micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) to quantify lacunar shape and size in mouse fibulae.
- Micro-finite element modeling (micro-FEM) to analyze microscopic strains around osteocyte lacunae.
- Correlation of quantitative morphological parameters with calculated mechanical strains.
Main Results:
- Increased lacunar volume led to higher peak effective strains in osteocyte cell bodies (OCYs), pericellular matrix (PCM), and extracellular matrix (ECM).
- Lacunae with greater deviation in orientation from the bone's longitudinal axis experienced higher strains.
- Increased lacunar sphericity correlated with decreased maximum effective strains.
- Older mice exhibited smaller, rounder lacunae, resulting in lower average bone tissue strains compared to younger mice.
Conclusions:
- Osteocyte lacunar morphology is a critical determinant of the local mechanical environment within bone tissue.
- Changes in lacunar shape and size directly modulate mechanical strains experienced by osteocytes and their surrounding matrix.
- Understanding these morphological-mechanical relationships is crucial for elucidating age-related changes in bone mechanosensing and potential interventions.
Keywords:
High resolution micro-computed tomographyMicro-finite element analysisOsteocyte lacunar morphologyPeri-lacunar bone tissue strainMore Related Videos
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