Egyptian fruit bats () are commonly held within zoos and research facilities. Despite this popularity, there have been no publications regarding normal bone density or bone mineral concentration and few publications regarding the normal dietary requirements of calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D (25-hydrox-vitamin D [25(OH)D]) for the species. A clinical investigation into frequent fractures in a zoo population of 23 adult male Egyptian fruit bats used dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) to evaluate bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC) prior to and after dietary adjustment of calcium and phosphorus. This study documents BMD, BMC, serum trace minerals, and serum levels of 25(OH)D within this population and includes postmortem bone density and bone ash from a subset of bats that died during the study period. A handheld point-of-care analyzer was utilized to assess ionized calcium and electrolytes (sodium, potassium, chloride, total CO), glucose, blood urea nitrogen, and creatinine at each DXA time point to contribute to published reference ranges for this species. This study identified a significant ( < 0.001) increase in BMC over 15 mon (4.71-8.26 g) following additional calcium and phosphorus supplementation in the diet. The BMD also trended toward a significant increase (0.124-0.274 g/cm, < 0.053). Additional studies documenting normal bone density that include both sexes and possibly free-ranging bats consuming a natural diet are recommended to determine normal values for .
Imbalances in gut microbiota and their metabolites have been implicated in osteoporotic disorders. Trimethylamine-n-oxide (TMAO), a metabolite of L-carnitine produced by gut microorganisms and flavin-containing monooxygenase-3, is known to accelerate tissue metabolism and remodeling; however, its role in bone loss remained unexplored. This study investigates the relationship between gut microbiota dysbiosis, TMAO production, and osteoporosis development.
Bone healing is a complex, dynamic process involving a series of well-coordinated stages, influenced by both mechanical and biological factors. The skeletal system, composed of inorganic (36%), organic (36%), and water (28%) components by volume, plays a crucial role in maintaining structural integrity and mineral homeostasis. Bone is classified into two main types based on microstructure: lamellar and woven bone, with lamellar bone being stronger and more durable.
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a condition that affects the quality of life of millions of patients worldwide. Current clinical treatments, in most cases, lead to cartilage repair with deposition of fibrocartilage tissue, which is mechanically inferior and not as durable as hyaline cartilage tissue. We designed an mRNA delivery strategy to enhance the natural healing potential of autologous bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMAC) for articular cartilage repair.
Metabolismo Óseo, Vascular y Enfermedades Inflamatorias Crónicas, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), Oviedo, Spain.
Introduction: Cardiovascular disease is the major cause of premature death in chronic kidney disease (CKD) and vascular damage is often detected belatedly, usually evaluated by expensive and invasive techniques. CKD involves specific risk factors that lead to vascular calcification and atherosclerosis, where inflammation plays a critical role. However, there are few inflammation-related markers to predict vascular damage in CKD.
Why fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) levels increase markedly in chronic kidney disease (CKD) is unknown. Recently, we found that phosphate stimulates renal production of glycerol-3-phosphate (G-3-P), which circulates to bone to trigger FGF23 production. To assess the impact of G-3-P on FGF23 production in CKD, we compared the effect of adenine-induced CKD in mice deficient in glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase 1 (Gpd1), an enzyme that synthesizes G-3-P, along with wild-type littermates.
