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Review
. 2017 Oct;15(5):401-411.
doi: 10.1007/s11914-017-0402-z.

Aging, Osteocytes, and Mechanotransduction

Haniyeh Hemmatian  1   2 , Astrid D Bakker  2 , Jenneke Klein-Nulend  3 , G Harry van Lenthe  1
Affiliations
Review

Aging, Osteocytes, and Mechanotransduction

Haniyeh Hemmatian et al. Curr Osteoporos Rep. 2017 Oct.

Abstract

Purpose of review: The bone is able to adapt its structure to mechanical signals via the bone remodeling process governed by mechanosensitive osteocytes. With aging, an imbalance in bone remodeling results in osteoporosis. In this review, we hypothesized that changes in lacunar morphology underlie the decreased bone mechanoresponsiveness to mechanical loading with aging.

Recent findings: Several studies have reported considerable variations in the shape of osteocytes and their lacunae with aging. Since osteocytes can sense matrix strain directly via their cell bodies, the variations in osteocyte morphology may cause changes in osteocyte mechanosensitivity. As a consequence, the load-adaptive response of osteocytes may change with aging, even when mechanical loading would remain unchanged. Though extensive quantitative data is lacking, evidence exists that the osteocyte lacunae are becoming smaller and more spherical with aging. Future dedicated studies might reveal whether these changes would affect osteocyte mechanosensation and the subsequent biological response, and whether this is (one of) the pathways involved in age-related bone loss.

Keywords: Aging; Bone mechanobiological response; Mechanotransduction; Osteocyte lacuna.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest

Astrid Bakker, Hanyeh Hemmatian, Gerrit van Lenthe, and Jenneke Klein-Nulend declare no conflict of interest.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

All reported studies/experiments with human or animal subjects performed by the authors have been previously published and complied with all applicable ethical standards (including the Helsinki Declaration and its amendments, institutional/national research committee standards, and international/national/institutional guidelines).

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Aging alters bone structure at the macrolevel, microlevel, and nanolevel. Medullary area, mean periosteal perimeter, and mean endosteal perimeter are significantly larger for old mice compared with young ones. With advancing age, vascular canal density reduces. Furthermore, osteocyte lacunae become smaller and more spherical with increasing age. (A) 3D-rendering of a whole C57BL/6 female mouse fibula at young age (5-months) using microcomputed tomography (μCT) scans at 5-μm resolution. (B) 3D-rendering of osteocyte lacunae and vascular canal network together with medullary cavity at midfibula diaphysis at young age using μCT scans at 0.70-μm resolution. (C) 3D-rendering of a whole C57BL/6 female mouse fibula at old age (23-months) using μCT scans at 5-μm resolution. (D) 3D-rendering of osteocyte lacunae and the vascular canal network together with medullary cavity at midfibula diaphysis at old age using μCT scans at 0.70-μm resolution
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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