Ageing in the musculoskeletal system

Abstract

The extent of ageing in the musculoskeletal system during the life course affects the quality and length of life. Loss of bone, degraded articular cartilage, and degenerate, narrowed intervertebral discs are primary features of an ageing skeleton, and together they contribute to pain and loss of mobility. This review covers the cellular constituents that make up some key components of the musculoskeletal system and summarizes discussion from the 2015 Aarhus Regenerative Orthopaedic Symposium (AROS) (Regeneration in the Ageing Population) about how each particular cell type alters within the ageing skeletal microenvironment.

Figure 1.

Bone remodeling. Bone is continually remodeled throughout life. The coordinated activity of bone-resorbing osteoclasts and bone-forming osteoblasts ensures that adequate skeletal mass is maintained. As we age, the delicate balance between bone removal and bone production is disrupted, resulting in an overall loss of bone.

Figure 2.

Zones and constituents of articular cartilage. A schematic representation of the different matrix components and their organization throughout articular cartilage.

Figure 3.

The human intervertebral disc. A. Schematic view of the human lumbar spine, composed of vertebral bodies (VB) and intervertebral discs (IVD). B. Histological appearance of young and old human intervertebral discs stained with Alcian blue.

Figure 4.

Musculoskeletal ageing. The various tissues that comprise the skeleton are each susceptible to ageing-related deterioration, and have a reduced capacity to function adequately with increasing lifespan.