Bone Abstracts

All biological tissues, including bone, require vascular support to survive. In fact, bone is a highly vascularized tissue, although this aspect of bone is often overlooked. Extensive work has demonstrated that the blood vessels in bone are necessary for nearly all skeletal functions, including development, homeostasis, and repair. In addition, blood vessels lost due to trauma regenerate, and new bone tissue formed in response to injury is aggressively vascularized. As a consequence of this environment, the blood vessels in bone are highly active, not simply a passive source for the delivery of nutrients. In this session, the mechanisms of blood flow in bone repair and regeneration will be reviewed. First, the skeletal vascular anatomy will be reviewed, with an emphasis on the long bones. Next, the distinct mechanisms for vascularizing bone tissue as well as methods for remodeling existing vasculature will be reviewed. In addition, techniques for quantifying bone blood flow will be briefly summarized. Finally, the body of experimental work that demonstrates the role of bone blood flow in fracture healing, distraction osteogenesis, osteoporosis, disuse osteopenia, and bone grafting will be reviewed.