Validation of the sheep as a large animal model for the study of vertebral osteoporosis

dc.contributor.authorZarrinkalam, K.
dc.contributor.authorBeard, H.
dc.contributor.authorSchultz, C.
dc.contributor.authorMoore, R.
dc.date.issued2009
dc.description© Springer. Part of Springer Science+Business Media
dc.description.abstractRats have long been the animal of choice for research in the field of osteoporosis. In the search for a complementary large animal model the sheep appears useful but hitherto the extent of bone loss from the spine has failed to reach a level that is generally accepted as osteoporotic in humans. Osteoporosis was induced in ten sheep using ovariectomy, low calcium diet and steroid injection for 6 months. Bone samples of iliac crest (IC), lumbar spine (LS), and proximal femur (PF) from the osteoporotic sheep were compared with those from four normal sheep using densitometry, histomorphometry, biochemistry and basic mechanical testing. The differences were examined using an analysis of variance with Tukey–Kramer test. Overall, the bone mineral density at LS and PF decreased more than 25% after treatment. Trabecular bone volume decreased by 29.2, 33.4 and 42.6% in IC, LS and PF, respectively. The failure load of the LS in axial compression was reduced to 2,003 from 6,140 N. The extent of bone loss was sufficient to categorise these sheep as osteoporotic although the pattern of bone loss varied between sites. Reduced mechanical competence in LS confirmed the suitability of this model for evaluation of potential treatments for osteoporosis
dc.description.statementofresponsibilityM. R. Zarrinkalam, H. Beard, C. G. Schultz and R. J. Moore
dc.identifier.citationEuropean Spine Journal, 2009; 18(2):244-253
dc.identifier.doi10.1007/s00586-008-0813-8
dc.identifier.issn0940-6719
dc.identifier.issn1432-0932
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2440/50559
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherSpringer
dc.source.urihttps://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-008-0813-8
dc.subjectOsteoporosis
dc.subjectAnimal model
dc.subjectSheep
dc.subjectHistology
dc.subjectLumbar spine
dc.titleValidation of the sheep as a large animal model for the study of vertebral osteoporosis
dc.typeJournal article
pubs.publication-statusPublished

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