Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 9, 2025
04:20
Author Spotlight: Enhancing Accuracy and Reproducibility in Whole Bone Bending Tests
Published on: September 1, 2023
904
Variation in Juvenile Long Bone Properties as a Function of Age: Mechanical and Compositional Characterization
Claudia Vázquez Sanz1, Ignacio Victoria Rodríguez1, Francisco Forriol1
1Instituto de Investigación Tecnológica (IIT), ICAI School of Engineering, Universidad Pontificia Comillas, 28015 Madrid, Spain.
Materials (Basel, Switzerland)
|February 25, 2023
Summary
Bone
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Orthopedic Research
- Skeletal Biology
Background:
- Bone's mechanical strength relies on its mineral and organic matrix composition.
- Aging's impact on bone's mineral/matrix ratio is well-studied, but juvenile bone composition and properties need more research.
- Understanding developmental changes in bone composition is crucial for skeletal health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between bone's chemical composition and mechanical properties during development in juvenile animals.
- To determine if changes in mineral content (Calcium, Phosphorus) and organic components (Carbon) correlate with variations in bone's elastic modulus.
- To compare these relationships across different species (bovine and ovine).
Main Methods:
- Bone samples from juvenile bovine and ovine long bones were analyzed.
- Compositional analysis was performed using energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) coupled with scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
- Mechanical properties, specifically elastic modulus, were measured using nanoindentation techniques.
Main Results:
- Significant differences in Calcium content and elastic modulus were observed between bovine and ovine species.
- No significant changes in these parameters were found within each species during development.
- A multiple linear regression model indicated that elastic modulus was influenced by Phosphorus and Carbon content, species, and development (non-linearly).
Conclusions:
- Bone's elastic modulus in juvenile animals is species-dependent and influenced by chemical composition, particularly decreases in Phosphorus and Carbon.
- Developmental changes in bone composition do not significantly alter elastic modulus within species during the juvenile stage.
- An interaction between Calcium and development may affect the observed relationships, highlighting the complexity of bone's mechanical properties.
Related Concept Videos
01:09Changes in the Appendicular Skeleton with Age
2.1K
The upper and lower limb initially develops as a small bulge called a limb bud, which appears on the lateral side of the early embryo. The upper limb bud appears near the end of the fourth week of development, with the lower limb bud appearing shortly after.
Initially, the limb buds consist of a core of mesenchyme covered by a layer of ectoderm. The ectoderm at the end of the limb bud thickens to form a narrow crest called the apical ectodermal ridge. This ridge stimulates the underlying...
Initially, the limb buds consist of a core of mesenchyme covered by a layer of ectoderm. The ectoderm at the end of the limb bud thickens to form a narrow crest called the apical ectodermal ridge. This ridge stimulates the underlying...
2.1K
01:29Bone Disorders
3.7K
Aging and its effect on bone remodeling is the most common cause of bone disorders. In young and healthy people, bone deposition and resorption happen at an equal rate to maintain optimal bone health.
Bone deposition is also affected by the levels of sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone that promote osteoblast activity and bone matrix synthesis. When the level of these hormones decreases due to aging, it causes a reduction in bone deposition. As a result, bone resorption by osteoclasts...
Bone deposition is also affected by the levels of sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone that promote osteoblast activity and bone matrix synthesis. When the level of these hormones decreases due to aging, it causes a reduction in bone deposition. As a result, bone resorption by osteoclasts...
3.7K
01:18Classification of Bones
5.9K
The bones of the human skeletal system are of varied shapes, sizes, and functions. They can be classified based on their shape and function into four major classes: long bones, short bones, flat bones, and irregular bones. Some classifications include a fifth type, the sesamoid bones, as a separate class, whereas others categorize them under short bones.
Long and Short Bones
The appendicular skeleton, particularly the upper and lower limbs, is primarily made of long and short bones. The...
Long and Short Bones
The appendicular skeleton, particularly the upper and lower limbs, is primarily made of long and short bones. The...
5.9K
01:40Bone Remodeling
38.4K
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.
38.4K
01:27Compact Bone
12.0K
Most bones contain compact and spongy osseous tissue, but their distribution and concentration vary based on the bone's overall function.
Compact bone, also called cortical bone, is the denser, stronger of the two types of bone tissue. It is found under the periosteum and in the diaphyses of long bones, where it provides support and protection. The microscopic structural unit of compact bone is called an osteon, or haversian system. Each osteon is composed of concentric rings of calcified...
Compact bone, also called cortical bone, is the denser, stronger of the two types of bone tissue. It is found under the periosteum and in the diaphyses of long bones, where it provides support and protection. The microscopic structural unit of compact bone is called an osteon, or haversian system. Each osteon is composed of concentric rings of calcified...
12.0K
01:17Gross Anatomy of Bone
5.6K
The two main features of a long bone are the diaphysis and the epiphysis.
The diaphysis is the tubular shaft that runs between the proximal and distal ends of the bone. The walls of the diaphysis are composed of dense and hard compact bone made of numerous osteons — the functional unit of the compact bone. The hollow region in the diaphysis is called the medullary cavity, which harbors the bone marrow. In infants and children, this marrow cavity is filled with red marrow, whereas in...
The diaphysis is the tubular shaft that runs between the proximal and distal ends of the bone. The walls of the diaphysis are composed of dense and hard compact bone made of numerous osteons — the functional unit of the compact bone. The hollow region in the diaphysis is called the medullary cavity, which harbors the bone marrow. In infants and children, this marrow cavity is filled with red marrow, whereas in...
5.6K