Increased bone formation in rat tibiae after a single short period of dynamic loading in vivo

Based on our quantum concept for mechanically adaptive bone formation, we hypothesized that a single bout of loading would increase bone formation at the endosteal surface in rat tibiae, with a maximal response 4-8 days after loading and a stimulus-response relationship for load magnitude. Bending loads were applied to right tibiae of rats at 31, 43, 53, or 65 N for a single bout of 36 or 360 cycles; bone formation was assessed 1-4, 5-8, or 9-12 days after loading. A single loading episode increased lamellar bone formation rate (BFR) in all groups (P<0.05) and was maximal 5-8 days after loading. A distinct dose-response relationship was not evident among all load magnitudes or for duration, but 65 N was significantly more osteogenic than loads of 31-53 N (P<0.05), consistent with a threshold response to loading. There was also evidence for a significant increase in BFR (P<0.05) and double-labeled surface (P<0.01) within 4 days of loading, suggesting that bone-lining cells were activated directly by the stimulus. Thus subtle changes in BFR may occur by modulating the activity of surface cells, but large modeling drifts and anabolic responses require recruitment and differentiation of osteoprogenitor cells near the bone surface.