Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research ›› 2010, Vol. 14 ›› Issue (9): 1521-1524.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-8225.2010.09.001

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Ultrastructural changes in distal femur cancellous bone in glucocorticoid-treated rats under scanning electron microscope

Li Jie1, Liu Ling-ping1, Chen Hong1, Huang Zhen2   

  1. 1Department of Endocrionology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou  510282, Guangdong Province, China;
    2Department of Surgery, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou   510282, Guangdong Province, China
  • Online:2010-02-26 Published:2010-02-26
  • Contact: Huang Zhen, Professor, Master’s supervisor, Department of Surgery, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510282, Guangdong Province, China hzhen2@sina.com
  • About author:Li Jie, Studying for master’s degree, Department of Endocrionology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510282, Guangdong Province, China jielicc@yahoo.com.cn

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Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Bone ultrastructural destruction is an important cause for bone strength decrease, bone friability and bone fracture incidence increase in osteoporosis.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the ultrastructural changes of distal femur cancellous bone in glucocorticoid (GC)-treated rats by scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

METHODS: A total of 32 female Sprague-Dawley rats, aged 3.5 months old, were respectively treated with methylprednisolone 3.5 mg/kg per day by subcutaneous injection to induce osteoporosis and normal saline. At 4 and 9 weeks, the distal femurs were coronary sectioned and rinsed with distilled water, dehydrated in graded ethanol, coated with gold, and observed by SEM.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Compared to the control, the number of bone trabeculae in the GC group was significantly decreased, and the bone trabeculae became thin, fragile, discontinuous; network structures of bone trabeculae were destroyed, and bone resorption surface increased, with disorderly arranged collagenous fibers and increased micro-damage. Rats treated with GC for 4 weeks maintained better bone ultrastructure compared with rats treated with GC for 9 weeks. Results show that GC can induce bone mass lost, destroy network structures of bone trabeculae, accelerate bone resorption in rat cancellous bone, and accordingly lead to increased bone brittleness and decreased bone functional of biodynamics.

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