Summary
It has been claimed that the increase in the strength of growing bone is due to increased mineral content. The strength of collagen is based on intermolecular covalent cross-links, and it has also been proposed that cross-link changes increase bone strength. Measurements of the content of calcium, collagen, and water, as well as cross-link analyses, were performed on the tibial cortex of growing dogs. Within the age range studied (8–44 weeks), no changes in calcium content expressed as a percentage of dry bone weight were seen. Collagen content expressed as weight of hydroxyproline per dry bone weight showed a minor reduction during growth. However, water content decreased considerably up to an age of about 25 weeks, which implies a concomitant increase in the amount of bone material. Of the two cross-link main groups, reducible and nonreducible, it is only possible chemically to analyze the reducible. During the final part of the period of growth and mechanical maturation of the bones, the number of reducible cross-links decreases. This indicates a concomitant increase in the more stable nonreducible forms. The possible mechanical relevance of the chemical changes found during growth is discussed.
Zusammenfassung
Es ist früher angeführt worden, daß die zunehmende Festigkeit der Knochensubstanz wachsender Individuen an dem zunehmenden Mineralgehalt liegt. Die Festigkeit des Kollagens beruht auf dessen intermolekulären kovalenten Querverbindungen („cross-links”), und man hat auch angenommen, daß Änderungen der Querverbindungen die Stärke des Knochengewebes beeinflussen. Von der Tibiacortex wachsender Hunde ist die Menge an Kalzium, Kollagen und Wasser bestimmt worden, auch wurde eine Analyse der Querverbindungen durchgeführt. In der untersuchten Altersgruppe (8–44 Wochen) fanden wir keine Veränderungen des Kalziumgehaltes ausgedrückt per Trockengewicht der Knochensubstanz. Der Kollagengehalt verringerte sich etwas während der Wachstumsperiode. Bis zum Alter der Welpen von 25 Wochen verringerte sich der Wassergehalt deutlich, was bedeutet, daß die Menge Knochensubstanz im entsprechenden Maße zunahm. Von den zwei Hauptgruppen der „crosslinks”, den reduzierbaren und den nicht reduzierbaren, kann man chemisch die reduzierbaren analysieren. Während der letzten Wachstums- und Reifeperiode des Knochengewebes sinkt die Menge reduzierbarer „cross-links”. Dies zeigt eine gleichzeitige Zunahme der chemisch und mechanisch stabileren nicht reduzierbaren Formen. Die eventuelle mechanische Bedeutung dieser chemischen Veränderungen wird diskutiert.
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Jonsson, U., Ranta, H. & Strömberg, L. Growth changes of collagen cross-linking, calcium, and water content in bone. Arch. Orth. Traum. Surg. 104, 89–93 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00454244
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00454244