Molecular Determinants of Bone Plasticity Regeneration After Trauma: Forensic Consequences

Abstract

Bone tissue is one of the most remarkable examples of biological plasticity within the human body, with a high regenerative capacity and adaptation following traumatic injuries. This process is conducted through a series of complex and interlinked molecular mechanisms, which will be summarized in this study. The temporal progression of bone healing follows relatively predictable phases, characterized by variation in the concentration and/or activity of biomolecules such as BMP, VEGF, MMPs. The molecular understanding of bone plasticity and regeneration has potentially significant implications in forensic sciences. They were not extensively studied and implemented in practical, forensic environments, mainly due to their high costs and limited availability. However, they have potential uses in areas, such as the interpretation of skeletal trauma, the estimation of the post-traumatic intervals, the postmortem interval, or the differentiation between ante-, peri-, and postmortem injuries to the bone.

Keywords: bone; forensic science; molecular determinants; molecular signatures.

Figure 1

Distribution of adult osteocalcin concentrations divided by sex. From Scott et al. Comparing biological and pathological factors affecting osteocalcin concentrations in archaeological skeletal [114].