Bone Abstracts

Site-specific osteoclasts (OC) and OC-like cells from different pathologies exhibit heterogeneity e.g. in the resorption machinery, influence of anti-resorptive drugs and response to local or systemic hormones e.g. PTH. The explanation for this is not known but different precursors, local regulation through osteoblasts (OB), osteocytes and extracellular matrix (ECM) could be involved. To study these differences a simple and reproducible cell model is an advantage in pre-clinic...

Biographical DetailsEleonora Dondossola is a Senior Postdoctoral Fellow in the Intravital Imaging Lab, Koch Center for Applied Research in Genitourinary Cancers, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA. She received her PhD in Cell and Molecular Biology from S. Raffaele Vita-Salute University, Milan, Italy, in 2010. Her current research is focused on metastasis...

Mineralized tissues like bone, articular calcified cartilage or mineralized turkey leg tendon (MTLT) are build by a composite of hydroxyapatite nano-particles and organic matrix. In bone and MTLT the matrix is formed by collagen type-I, but in contrast to bone in MTLT the collagen is uniaxial orientated, while in cartilage the matrix consists of collagen type-II and proteoglycans.Composition/orientation differences were investigated by a new scanning aco...

Vitamin D deficiency is common in older persons and non-western immigrants. Vitamin D is often started in loading doses of 50 000 IU/ml solution. Though, generally considered safe, this highly concentrated solution carries some risks as is illustrated by the following cases. A woman of >80 years old was admitted with hypercalcemia, calcium 3.27 mmol/l. She complained of nausea, thirst and polyuria for 3 months. History included cholecystitis, atrial fibrillation, myocardia...

The co-chaperone protein, Bcl-2-associated athanogene 1 (BAG-1) is expressed ubiquitously in bone including cells of the osteoblast-lineage and, plays an important role in cell proliferation, apoptosis and differentiation by regulating signalling and transcription. The study aims to elucidate the function of BAG-1 in osteoblast development by examining differences in osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) from Bag-1+/−</sup...

The process of vascular calcification shares many similarities with that of skeletal mineralisation, and involves the phenotypic trans-differentiation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) to osteoblastic and chondrocytic cells within a calcified environment. Various microRNAs (miRs) are known to regulate cell differentiation, however their role in mediating VSMC calcification has yet to be fully understood.Murine VSMCs were cultured for up to 28 days ...

Objectives: Guidelines for treatment of vitamin D deficiency (VDD) vary. We aimed to review the range of treatment regimens for VDD used locally and variation in responses.Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of the records of consecutive patients referred to a Children’s Bone Disease Service with a putative diagnosis of VDD over a 14-month period. Data collected includes vitamin D type used, dose and duration of treatment, and pre- and post...

Background: Measurement and interpretation of metaphyseal shape in children is difficult. We aim to develop relevant assessment methods using commonly available spiral computed tomography (CT) scanning.Methods: We analysed 12 pairs of age and pubertal stage matched subjects from a larger group of children recruited into a non-interventional case–control study in which all had suffered trauma; half had sustained a fracture. Each subject underwent ant...

A first twin born at 28 weeks gestation weighing 630 g underwent an end-to-end anastamosis for colonic stricture on day 92 of life. He collapsed with severe Escherichia coli sepsis post-operatively and became anuric. Veno–veno haemofiltration (CVVH) was instituted as a life-preserving measure, continuing for 3 days.On day 119, osteopaenia and rachitic changes were noted on a chest X-ray. Review of his prior biochemistry showed a precipitous...

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