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The fibrillar organisation of the osteon and cellular aspects of its development

A morphological study using the SEM fractured cortex technique

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Abstract

The collagen architecture of secondary osteons was studied with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) employing the fractured cortex technique and osmic maceration. Fibrillar orientation and the change in their direction in sequential lamellae was documented where lamellar formation was ongoing, as well as in resorption pits where osteoclasts had exposed the collagen organisation of the underlying layers. Applying an adaptive stereo matching technique, the mean thickness of matrix layers removed by osteoclasts was 1.36 ± 0.45 μm. It was also documented that osteoclasts do not attack the cellular membrane of the exposed osteocytes. The mean linear osteoblast density in fractured hemicanals was assessed with SEM and no significant differences were observed comparing larger with smaller central canal osteons. These findings suggested a balance between the differentiated osteoblasts that have aligned on the surface of the cutting cone and those that are transformed into osteocytes, because the canal surface is progressively reduced as the lamellar apposition advances.

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Acknowledgements

The study was carried out using a scanning electron microscope from the “Centre Great Instruments” of Insubria University, and was supported by research funds of Brescia University. The authors acknowledge Professor M. Raspanti for his suggestions and advice in applying the stereometric method.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Clinica Ortopedica dell’Università di Brescia, Spedali Civili di Brescia, 25123, Brescia, Italy

    Ugo E. Pazzaglia, Guido Zarattini & Marcella Marchese

  2. Dipartimento di Morfologia Umana, Università dell’Insubria, 21100, Varese, Italy

    Terenzio Congiu & Daniela Quacci

Authors
  1. Ugo E. Pazzaglia
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  2. Terenzio Congiu
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  3. Guido Zarattini
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  4. Marcella Marchese
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  5. Daniela Quacci
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Correspondence to Ugo E. Pazzaglia.

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Pazzaglia, U.E., Congiu, T., Zarattini, G. et al. The fibrillar organisation of the osteon and cellular aspects of its development. Anat Sci Int 86, 128–134 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12565-010-0099-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12565-010-0099-x

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