Spatial variations in the osteocyte lacuno-canalicular network density and analysis of the connectomic parameters

Junning Chen, Marta Aido, Andreas Roschger, Alexander van Tol, Sara Checa, Bettina M Willie, Richard Weinkamer

Publikation: Beitrag in FachzeitschriftArtikelPeer-reviewed

Abstract

Osteocyte lacuno-canalicular network (LCN) is comprised of micrometre-sized pores and submicrometric wide channels in bone. Accumulating evidence suggests multiple functions of this network in material transportation, mechanobiological signalling, mineral homeostasis and bone remodelling. Combining rhodamine staining and confocal laser scanning microscopy, the longitudinal cross-sections of six mouse tibiae were imaged, and the connectome of the network was quantified with a focus on the spatial heterogeneities of network density, connectivity and length of canaliculi. In-vivo loading and double calcein labelling on these tibiae allowed differentiating the newly formed bone from the pre-existing regions. The canalicular density of the murine cortical bone varied between 0.174 and 0.243 μm/μm3, and therefore is three times larger than the corresponding value for human femoral midshaft osteons. The spatial heterogeneity of the network was found distinctly more pronounced across the cortex than along the cortex. We found that in regions with a dense network, the LCN conserves its largely tree-like character, but increases the density by including shorter canaliculi. The current study on healthy mice should serve as a motivating starting point to study the connectome of genetically modified mice, including models of bone diseases and of reduced mechanoresponse.

OriginalspracheEnglisch
Seiten (von - bis)e0303515
FachzeitschriftPLOS one
Jahrgang19
Ausgabenummer5
DOIs
PublikationsstatusVeröffentlicht - 2024

Bibliographische Notiz

Copyright: © 2024 Chen et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Systematik der Wissenschaftszweige 2012

  • 106 Biologie

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