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Updated: Jun 28, 2025

Fracture Apparatus Design and Protocol Optimization for Closed-stabilized Fractures in Rodents
Published on: August 14, 2018
Osteoimmunology of Fracture Healing
Kristin Happ Molitoris1, Mingjian Huang1, Gurpreet Singh Baht2
1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Duke Molecular Physiology Institute, Duke University, 300 North Duke Street, Durham, NC, 27701, USA.
Purpose Of Review:
The purpose of this review is to summarize what is known in the literature about the role inflammation plays during bone fracture healing. Bone fracture healing progresses through four distinct yet overlapping phases: formation of the hematoma, development of the cartilaginous callus, development of the bony callus, and finally remodeling of the fracture callus. Throughout this process, inflammation plays a critical role in robust bone fracture healing.
Recent Findings:
At the onset of injury, vessel and matrix disruption lead to the generation of an inflammatory response: inflammatory cells are recruited to the injury site where they differentiate, activate, and/or polarize to secrete cytokines for the purposes of cell signaling and cell recruitment. This process is altered by age and by sex. Bone fracture healing is heavily influenced by the presence of inflammatory cells and cytokines within the healing tissue.
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