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Updated: Sep 28, 2025
The Creation of a Rat Model for Osteosarcopenia via Ovariectomy
Published on: February 21, 2025
Early effects of ovariectomy on bone microstructure, bone turnover markers and mechanical properties in rats
Xingman Guo1, Xiyue Yu2, Qianqian Yao1
1Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, No.366 Taishan Street, Tai'an, 271000, Shandong, China.
Background:
Fragility fracture is one of the most serious consequences of female aging, which can increase the risk of death. Therefore, paying attention to the pathogenesis of postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMOP) is very important for elderly women.
Methods And Materials:
Forty 12-week-old female rats were divided into two groups including the ovariectomy (OVX) group and the control group. Four rats in each group were selected at 1, 4, 8, 12 and 16 weeks after operation. Vertebral bones and femurs were dissected completely for micro-Computed Tomography (micro-CT) scanning, biological modulus detection and histomorphological observation.
Results:
In OVX group, bone volume/total volume (BV/TV), bone trabecular connection density (Conn.D) and trabecular bone number (Tb.N) decreased significantly with time (P < 0.05). The elastic modulus of femur in OVX group was lower than that in control group, but there was no significant difference between them (P > 0.05). Over time, the tartrate resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP), osteocalcin (BGP), type I procollagen amino terminal propeptide (PINP) and type I collagen carboxy terminal peptide (CTX-I) in OVX group increased significantly (P < 0.05). The micrographs of the OVX group showed sparse loss of the trabecular interconnectivity and widening intertrabecular spaces with time.
Conclusion:
The bone loss patterns of vertebral body and femur were different in the early stage of estrogen deficiency. The bone turnover rate of OVX rats increased, however the changes of biomechanical properties weren't obvious.
