Experimental research
Temporal modifications in bone following spinal cord injury in rats
Temporal modifications in bone following spinal cord injury in rats
Submission date: 2011-11-11
Final revision date: 2012-04-02
Acceptance date: 2012-04-07
Online publication date: 2012-12-19
Publication date: 2012-12-31
Arch Med Sci 2012;8(6):1102–1107
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Introduction: The aim of this study was to investigate the temporal modifications in bone mass, bone biomechanical properties and bone morphology in spinal cord injured rats 2, 4 and 6 weeks after a transection.
Material and methods: Control animals were randomly distributed into four groups (n = 10 each group): control group (CG) – control animals sacrificed immediately after surgery; spinal cord-injured 2 weeks (2W) – spinal cord-injured animals sacrificed 2 weeks after surgery; spinal cord-injured 4 weeks (4W) – spinal cord-injured animals sacrificed 4 weeks after surgery; spinal cord-injured 6 weeks (6W) – spinal cord-injured animals sacrificed 6 weeks after surgery.
Results: Biomechanical properties of the right tibia were determined by a three-point bending test and injured animals showed a statistically significant decrease in maximal load compared to control animals. The right femur was used for densitometric analysis and bone mineral content of the animals sacrificed 4 and 6 weeks after surgery was significantly higher compared to the control animals and animals sacrificed 2 weeks after surgery. Histopathological and morphological analysis of tibiae revealed intense resorptive areas in the group 2 weeks after injury only.
Conclusions: The results of this study show that this rat model is a valuable tool to investigate bone remodeling processes specifically associated with SCI. Taken together, our results suggest that spinal cord injury induced bone loss within 2 weeks after injury in rats.
Material and methods: Control animals were randomly distributed into four groups (n = 10 each group): control group (CG) – control animals sacrificed immediately after surgery; spinal cord-injured 2 weeks (2W) – spinal cord-injured animals sacrificed 2 weeks after surgery; spinal cord-injured 4 weeks (4W) – spinal cord-injured animals sacrificed 4 weeks after surgery; spinal cord-injured 6 weeks (6W) – spinal cord-injured animals sacrificed 6 weeks after surgery.
Results: Biomechanical properties of the right tibia were determined by a three-point bending test and injured animals showed a statistically significant decrease in maximal load compared to control animals. The right femur was used for densitometric analysis and bone mineral content of the animals sacrificed 4 and 6 weeks after surgery was significantly higher compared to the control animals and animals sacrificed 2 weeks after surgery. Histopathological and morphological analysis of tibiae revealed intense resorptive areas in the group 2 weeks after injury only.
Conclusions: The results of this study show that this rat model is a valuable tool to investigate bone remodeling processes specifically associated with SCI. Taken together, our results suggest that spinal cord injury induced bone loss within 2 weeks after injury in rats.
RELATED ARTICLE
We process personal data collected when visiting the website. The function of obtaining information about users and their behavior is carried out by voluntarily entered information in forms and saving cookies in end devices. Data, including cookies, are used to provide services, improve the user experience and to analyze the traffic in accordance with the Privacy policy. Data are also collected and processed by Google Analytics tool (more).
You can change cookies settings in your browser. Restricted use of cookies in the browser configuration may affect some functionalities of the website.
You can change cookies settings in your browser. Restricted use of cookies in the browser configuration may affect some functionalities of the website.