Bone Abstracts

Tumors contain a small population of cancer stem cells (CSC) proposed to be responsible for tumor maintenance and relapse. Aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (ALDH1) activity has been used as a functional stem cell marker to isolate CSCs in different cancer types. This study used the Aldefluor assay and fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis to isolate ALDH1high cells from five human sarcoma cell lines and one primary chordoma cell line. ALDH1high cell...

The switch from a cartilage template to bone during endochondralossification of the growth plate requires dynamic and close interaction between the cartilage and the developing vascular structures. Vascular invasion of hypertrophic cartilage, with blood vessels coming from the bone collar, serves to bring in osteoblast- andendothelial precursor cells along with chondroclasts and their precursors into future ossification centres of the growth plate.Potent...

Tooth fracture is considered as a major problem in dentistry. As it is commonly observed in dental practice, one of the main factors that lead to increased tooth fragility is its devitalization. However, there is no definite mechanistic explanation for such phenomenon. We hypothesize that the possible response to this matter lies in the changes that occur in dentin due to altered microenvironment after endodontic procedure. Therefore, in this study we analyzed the structural a...

HLA-B27 transgenic rats, developed by inserting into rat genome the gene for HLA-B27, a human Class I major histocompatibility molecule involved in antigen presentation, spontaneously develop arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, gastrointestinal inflammation, and severe alveolar bone loss, among other signs of a generalized inflammatory response. Clinical manifestations in these rats closely resemble features of HLA-B27–associated diseases in humans. More recently, investig...

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Bisphosphonates (BPs) including alendronate (ALN) are the most widely prescribed therapy for post-menopausal osteoporosis. Despite their overall excellent safety record and efficacy in reducing fractures, concerns have been expressed lately regarding potential detrimental effects due to prolonged bone turnover reduction, although no definite cause–effect relationship has been established to date. The purpose of the present study was to determine bone material quality by R...

Bone mineral density (BMD) as measured by quantitative computed tomography (QCT) is biased by the variable marrow composition since marrow fat reduces the apparent BMD. We developed a marrow densitometry (MD) method that identifies subvolumes in the vertebrae that consist of bone marrow only (bone voids) and determines their average mineral equivalent density values. The method was developed for use with in vivo high resolution QCT (HR-QCT). HR-QCT still has limited s...

Background and objectives: Lean mass (LM) has been positively associated with bone mineral density (BMD), but the impact of increased adiposity on bone especially in children is controversial. Several biomarkers, secreted by adipose tissue, skeletal muscle, or bone, may have important roles in the bone health. Our aim was to study the association of body composition, adipokines, myokines, inflammation-related cytokines, growth factors, and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (S-25(OH)D)...

Objective: Nephropathic cystinosis is an orphan autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disease characterized by a deficiency of cystinosin, a cysteine transporter protein, encoded by CTNS. As a consequence of the disease cystine crystals accumulate leading to tissue damage, primarily in kidney and cornea. With improved medical care, new challenges like skeletal complications are a matter of concern. Only few data are available dealing with bone development. The aim of our study...

Introduction: Bisphosphonates gain increasingly greater significance in treatment oncologic diseases with bone metastasis. However, a lot of articles have lately been published in dental and oncological journals on jaw osteonecrosis (ONJ) associated with long-term ingestion of bisphosphonates. Besides extension of clinical recommendations for zolendronate use, most commonly referred to in connection with ONJ, for treatment of Paget’s diseaseand other disturbances of bone ...