The use of variable lactate/malic dehydrogenase ratios to distinguish between progenitor cells of cartilage and bone in the embryonic chick. (1/3582)

The activities of LDH and MDH have been studied, both in differentiated cartilage and bone from the embryonic chick, and in the pool of mixed osteogenic and chondrogenic stem cells found on the quadratojugal, a membrane bone. In confirmation of the model proposed by Reddi & Huggins (1971) we found that the LDH/MDH ratio was greater than 1 in cartilage and less than 1 in bone. Furthermore we established, for the first time, that ratios occurred in the chondrogenic and osteogenic stem cells, similar to the ratios in their differentiated counterparts. Alteration in LDH/MDH resulted from variations in the level of LDH/mug protein. MDH/mug protein remained constant, even when LDH/MDH was changing. We interpret these results in terms of adaptation of chondrogenic progenitor cells for anaerobic metabolism and anticipate that our model will be applicable to other skeletal systems where stem cells are being studied.  (+info)

Tumor necrosis factor receptor family member RANK mediates osteoclast differentiation and activation induced by osteoprotegerin ligand. (2/3582)

A receptor that mediates osteoprotegerin ligand (OPGL)-induced osteoclast differentiation and activation has been identified via genomic analysis of a primary osteoclast precursor cell cDNA library and is identical to the tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR) family member RANK. The RANK mRNA was highly expressed by isolated bone marrow-derived osteoclast progenitors and by mature osteoclasts in vivo. Recombinant OPGL binds specifically to RANK expressed by transfected cell lines and purified osteoclast progenitors. Transgenic mice expressing a soluble RANK-Fc fusion protein have severe osteopetrosis because of a reduction in osteoclasts, similar to OPG transgenic mice. Recombinant RANK-Fc binds with high affinity to OPGL in vitro and blocks osteoclast differentiation and activation in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, polyclonal Ab against the RANK extracellular domain promotes osteoclastogenesis in bone marrow cultures suggesting that RANK activation mediates the effects of OPGL on the osteoclast pathway. These data indicate that OPGL-induced osteoclastogenesis is directly mediated through RANK on osteoclast precursor cells.  (+info)

Hindlimb patterning and mandible development require the Ptx1 gene. (3/3582)

The restricted expression of the Ptx1 (Pitx1) gene in the posterior half of the lateral plate mesoderm has suggested that it may play a role in specification of posterior structures, in particular, specification of hindlimb identity. Ptx1 is also expressed in the most anterior ectoderm, the stomodeum, and in the first branchial arch. Ptx1 expression overlaps with that of Ptx2 in stomodeum and in posterior left lateral plate mesoderm. We now show that targeted inactivation of the mouse Ptx1 gene severely impairs hindlimb development: the ilium and knee cartilage are absent and the long bones are underdeveloped. Greater reduction of the right femur size in Ptx1 null mice suggests partial compensation by Ptx2 on the left side. The similarly sized tibia and fibula of mutant hindlimbs may be taken to resemble forelimb bones: however, the mutant limb buds appear to have retained their molecular identity as assessed by forelimb expression of Tbx5 and by hindlimb expression of Tbx4, even though Tbx4 expression is decreased in Ptx1 null mice. The hindlimb defects appear to be, at least partly, due to abnormal chondrogenesis. Since the most affected structures derive from the dorsal side of hindlimb buds, the data suggest that Ptx1 is responsible for patterning of these dorsal structures and that as such it may control development of hindlimb-specific features. Ptx1 inactivation also leads to loss of bones derived from the proximal part of the mandibular mesenchyme. The dual role of Ptx1 revealed by the gene knockout may reflect features of the mammalian jaw and hindlimbs that were acquired at a similar time during tetrapod evolution.  (+info)

The development of the fetal sternum: a cross-sectional sonographic study. (4/3582)

OBJECTIVE: To assess the relationship between gestational age and sonographic appearance of the various sternal components and establish growth during human gestation. DESIGN: A prospective cross-sectional study. METHODS: The study was performed on 252 consecutive normal singleton pregnancies from 19 weeks of gestation until term, using transabdominal high-resolution ultrasound techniques. The sternal length, as well as the number of ossification centers at each gestational age, were recorded. RESULTS: The first occasion at which a fetal human sternum could be visualized with two to three ossification centers was at 19 weeks' gestational age. The fifth ossification center was first visualized at 29 weeks' gestation. The mean +/- SE of sternal length varied from 15 +/- 0.98 mm (95% confidence interval (CI) 12.79-17.21) at 19-20 weeks, to 36.50 +/- 0.29 mm (95% CI 35.58-37.42) at 37-38 weeks' gestation. Sternal length as a function of gestational age was expressed by the regression equation: sternal length (mm) = -11.06 + 1.39 x gestational age (weeks). The correlation coefficient, r = 0.924 for sternal length, was found to be highly statistically significant (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: The presented data offer normative measurements of the fetal sternum which may be helpful in the prenatal diagnosis of congenital syndromes that include, among other manifestations, abnormalities of sternal development.  (+info)

Effect of strontium on the epiphyseal cartilage plate of rat tibiae-histological and radiographic studies. (5/3582)

Following dietary administration of strontium carbonate, histological and radiographic changes in the epiphyseal cartilage plate of the rat tibiae were examined in the present study. The weight gain of the rat fed a strontium diet was less than that of the control rats. Longitudinal growth of tibiae and endochondral ossification were inhibited by strontium administration. The widths of both proximal and distal cartilage plates increased enormously as has also been shown by other investigators. Sizes of chondroblasts in columns of proximal cartilage plate in rats fed a strontium diet were smaller than those of the control rats and were not different between upper and lower parts. It is suggested that strontium inhibits bone growth through the inhibitory action on the maturation process of chondroblasts and the succeeding endochondral ossification.  (+info)

A quantitative assessment of the healing of intramembranous and endochondral autogenous bone grafts. (6/3582)

The aim of the study was to assess quantitatively the amount of new bone formed in the early stages of healing of intramembranous and endochondral autogenous bone grafts so as to gain further insight into their integration with host bone. Eighteen critical size defects were created in the parietal bone of nine New Zealand White rabbits. In the experimental group (five rabbits), each rabbit was grafted with intramembranous bone in one defect and with endochondral bone in the other. In the control group (four rabbits), one defect was left empty (passive control) and the other was grafted with rabbit skin collagen (active control). After 14 days, the rabbits were killed and the defects were prepared for histological analysis. Serial sections were made across the whole defect. Each defect was divided into five regions spaced 1500 microns apart. Two sections were randomly drawn from each region. Quantitative analysis was performed on 100 sections using an image analyser computer software system to assess the amount of new bone formed in each defect. No bone was detected across the defect in either the active or passive controls. One-hundred-and-sixty-six per cent more new bone was formed in defects grafted with intramembranous bone than those grafted with endochondral bone. This represented an extremely significant difference (P < 0.0001, unpaired t-test) between the two groups. The results show that intramembranous autogenous bone produced more bone than the endochondral bone when grafted in the skull. Clinically, it is recommended that intramembranous bone is used to replace lost membranous bone in the oral cavity, as well as in skull defects, whenever possible.  (+info)

Differential patterns of altered bone formation in different bone compartments in established osteoporosis. (7/3582)

AIM: To investigate the level of bone formation in the different bone compartments in cases of established osteoporosis, as previous work has concentrated on trabecular bone alone. METHODS: Bone formation rates were measured histomorphometrically, in the periosteal (P), cortical (C), subcortical (SC), and trabecular (T) compartments in iliac crest biopsies from 159 patients with established osteoporosis. The values were standardised using age and sex matched control data and patterns of differential change determined by analysis of parametric status (increased, normal, reduced). RESULTS: Mean bone formation was reduced in all four compartments. This was more marked (4.4/4.1 standard deviations below the mean in C/T, v 2.3/0.9 in P/SC) and more frequent (reduced in 81.5%/78.3% in T/C, v 43.3%/44% in P/SC) in the trabecular and cortical compartments than in the periosteal or subcortical bone. Parametric status was equal in trabecular and cortical bone in 85.4% of cases, and in periosteal and subcortical bone in 65.7%, but in all four compartments in only 35.1%, indicating differential alteration of bone formation in the two sets of compartments (T/C v P/SC). CONCLUSIONS: Altered trabecular bone formation is important in osteoporosis, but there are differential patterns of alteration in the other three compartments, emphasising the presence of different microenvironments in bone; thus the effect on the cortical compartment was similar to that on the trabecular, while the subcortical and periosteal compartments also showed linkage. The linkage between the two pairs was divergent, indicating different control of bone formation, with resultant different patterns of perturbation in osteoporosis.  (+info)

Effects of XT-44, a phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitor, in osteoblastgenesis and osteoclastgenesis in culture and its therapeutic effects in rat osteopenia models. (8/3582)

We have reported that denbufylline, a phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) inhibitor, inhibits bone loss in Walker256/S tumor-bearing rats, suggesting therapeutic potentiality of a PDE4 inhibitor in osteopenia. In the present study, effects of a new PDE4 inhibitor, 1-n-butyl-3-n-propylxanthine (XT-44), in bone were evaluated in cell cultures and animal experiments. In rat bone marrow culture, XT-44 stimulated mineralized-nodule formation, whereas it inhibited osteoclast-like cell formation in mouse bone marrow culture. In Walker256/S-bearing rats (6-week-old female Wistar Imamichi rats), rapid decrease in bone mineral density (BMD) was prominent, and oral administration of XT-44 (0.3 mg/kg, every 2 days) inhibited the decrease in BMD. In the second animal experiment, female Wistar rats (6-week-old) were sciatic neurectomized, and XT-44 was orally administered to these rats every 2 days for 4 weeks. XT-44 administration (0.3 mg/kg) recovered BMD in these neurectomized animals. Furthermore, 19-week-old, female Wistar rats were ovariectomized (OVX), and 15 weeks after surgery, these rats were orally administered XT-44 every 2 days for 8 weeks. XT-44 treatment (1 mg/kg) increased the BMD of OVX rats. These results indicate that XT-44 could be a candidate as a therapeutic drug for treating osteopenia including osteoporosis.  (+info)