Chatha Wa.
Osteocyte Population Shift In Response To Injury In Their Immediate Vicinity: A Quantitative Study.
Biomedica Jan ;34(1):6-9.

Background and Objectives: Osteocytes are the main cells of the mature bone. They undergo apoptosis for many reasons. Literature is found deficient on the effects of injury after injury in the area surrounding the bone. This study was aimed to see the effect of injury on the osteocyte number when there is healing process going on in the immediate vicinity of injury. Intervertebral disc area was selected for this purpose as it is enclosed by the vertebral bone. Method: Rabbits were used as experimental animals and their intervertebral disc were injured by open surgery. Animals were divided into two subgroups with 22 animals in each (N = 44). Day 5 and 7 were selected for harvesting the experimental tissue, as cellularity of injured area increases gradually after injury due to recruitment of inflammatory cells and beginning of granulation. Vertebral bones with intervertebral discs were obtained after sacrificing the animals, decalcified and prepared for paraffin embedding. Slides were stained with hematoxylin & eosin and alcian blue stain. Osteocytes were counted in a defined unit area under high power in the two groups and the average of the two groups was compared. Results: Osteocyte number decreased significantly (p<0.001) on the day 7 as compared to the cell count on day 5. It was observed that osteocyte population followed a reverse population pattern as compared to cells of inflammation. Conclusion: It is gained from the study that chemical mediators released by inflammation may be causing the regression of osteocytes by apoptosis, which may be one of the forms for the bone remodeling after injury in the area near the healthy bone.

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