Changes in the intra- and peri-cellular sclerostin distribution in lacuno-canalicular system induced by mechanical unloading.

Introduction: Mechanical stimuli regulate Sclerostin (Scl), a negative regulator of bone formation, expression in osteocytes. However, the detailed Scl distribution in osteocytes in response to mechanical unloading remains unclear.

Materials And Methods: Twelve-week-old male rats were used.

Three-dimensional morphometry of collagen fibrils in membranous bone.

The collagen network acts as a scaffold for calcification and its three-dimensional structure influences bone strength. It is therefore important to observe the collagen network in detail and three-dimensionally. In this study, we observed the collagen network of chick embryonic calvariae in membranous bone three-dimensionally using orthogonally arranged FIB-SEM.

Analysis of Ca response of osteocyte network by three-dimensional time-lapse imaging in living bone.

Osteocytes form a three-dimensional (3D) cellular network within the mineralized bone matrix. The cellular network has important roles in mechanosensation and mechanotransduction related to bone homeostasis. We visualized the embedded osteocyte network in chick calvariae and observed the flow-induced Ca signaling in osteocytes using 3D time-lapse imaging.