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Study on mass transfer in the bone lacunar-canalicular system under different gravity fields

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Journal of Bone and Mineral Metabolism Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Introduction

The bone lacunar-canalicular system (LCS) is an important microstructural basis for signaling and material transport in bone tissue, guaranteeing normal physiological processes in tissues. Spaceflight astronauts and elderly osteoporosis are related to its function, so it is necessary to reveal the mass transfer laws in bone microstructure under different gravity fields to provide insight for effective clinical treatment.

Materials and methods

Using the natural LCS structure of bovine tibial cortical bone as the object, the mass transfer experiments on cortical bone were conducted by using sodium fluorescein tracer through different frequency pulsating pressure provided by dynamic perfusion loading device and different high G environments provided by high-speed centrifuge to analyze the mass transfer laws under different gravity fields and different pulsating pressures.

Results

The fluorescence intensity of lacunae within the osteon was lower the farther away from the Haversian canal. As the gravity field magnitude increased, the fluorescence intensity within each lacuna enhanced, and the more distant the lacunae from the Haversian canal, the greater the fluorescence intensity enhancement. High-frequency pulsating pressure simulated high-intensity exercise in humans can improve mass transfer efficiency in the LCS.

Conclusion

High-intensity exercise may greatly increase solute molecules, nutrients, and signaling molecules in osteocytes and improve the activity of osteocytes. Hypergravity can enhance the transport of solute molecules, nutrients, and signaling molecules in the LCS, especially promoting mass transfer to deep layer lacunae. Conversely, mass transfer to deep layer lacunae may be inhibited under microgravity, causing bone loss and ultimately leading to osteoporosis.

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Acknowledgements

The project was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (12072235,11932013), National Defense Science and Technology Excellence Youth Science Fund Project (2021-JCJQ-ZQ-035), Key Project of National Defense Innovation Special Zone (21-163-12-ZT-006-002-13).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Tianjin Key Laboratory for Advanced Mechatronic System Design and Intelligent Control, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Education, School of Mechanical Engineering, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin, 300384, People’s Republic of China

    Hao Wang, Lilan Gao & Chunqiu Zhang

  2. Characteristic Medical Center of People’s Armed Police Forces, Institute of Brain Trauma and Neurological Diseases of the Armed Police Force, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China

    Xuyi Chen

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  1. Hao Wang
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  2. Lilan Gao
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  3. Xuyi Chen
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  4. Chunqiu Zhang
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Contributions

HW: conceptualization, methodology, data curation, and writing—original draft preparation; LLG: data curation and editing; XYC: conceptualization, supervision; CQZ: conceptualization, supervision, and writing—reviewing and editing.

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Xuyi Chen or Chunqiu Zhang.

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All authors have read and approved the manuscript to be submitted, and there is no ethical problem or conflict of interest in the manuscript.

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Wang, H., Gao, L., Chen, X. et al. Study on mass transfer in the bone lacunar-canalicular system under different gravity fields. J Bone Miner Metab 40, 940–950 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00774-022-01373-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00774-022-01373-z

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