Blood flow for bone remodelling correlates with locomotion in living and extinct birds

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dc.contributor.authorAllan, G.
dc.contributor.authorCassey, P.
dc.contributor.authorSnelling, E.
dc.contributor.authorMaloney, S.
dc.contributor.authorSeymour, R.
dc.date.issued2014
dc.description.abstractNutrient arteries enter limb bones through discrete foramina on the shafts. They are required for bone remodelling in response to mechanical loading and dynamic forces imposed by locomotion. The cross-sectional area of the nutrient foramen of the femur represents an index of blood flow rate to the shaft and thus provides insight into the animal's level of activity. Morphometric data on femoral length, mass and foramen size from 100 extant bird species and eight extinct moa species were analysed allometrically and phylogenetically. The nutrient foramen blood flow index (Qi) and femur mass (Mf) increase with body mass (Mb). At 1 kg body mass, cursorial species have approximately 2.1 times higher Qi and 1.9 times heavier Mf than volant species. The scaling of Qi on Mf is independent of the primary mode of locomotion, but the ratio Qi/Mf decreases significantly in larger birds, although absolute Qi increases. The overall avian equation for Qi on Mb is not significantly different from previous data from mammals, but when differences in blood pressure are accounted for, estimated blood flow to the femur is approximately 1.9 times higher in cursorial birds than in mammals, possibly in relation to bipedalism and quadrupedalism, respectively. Femoral bone blood flow in both endothermic groups is estimated to be 50-100 times higher than in ectothermic reptiles.
dc.description.statementofresponsibilityGeorgina H. Allan, Phillip Cassey, Edward P. Snelling, Shane K. Maloney and Roger S. Seymour
dc.identifier.citationJournal of Experimental Biology, 2014; 217(16):2956-2962
dc.identifier.doi10.1242/jeb.102889
dc.identifier.issn0022-0949
dc.identifier.issn1477-9145
dc.identifier.orcidCassey, P. [0000-0002-2626-0172]
dc.identifier.orcidSeymour, R. [0000-0002-3395-0059]
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2440/89692
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherCompany of Biologists
dc.relation.granthttp://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP120102081
dc.rights© 2014. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.
dc.source.urihttps://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.102889
dc.subjectBird
dc.subjectLocomotion
dc.subjectBlood flow
dc.subjectBone remodelling
dc.subjectNutrient foramen
dc.subjectAllometry
dc.titleBlood flow for bone remodelling correlates with locomotion in living and extinct birds
dc.typeJournal article
pubs.publication-statusPublished

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