Microcomputed tomography-based structural analysis of various bone tissue regeneration models
Microcomputed tomography (microCT) analysis is a powerful tool for the evaluation of bone tissue because it provides access to the 3D microarchitecture of the bone. It is invaluable for regenerative medicine as it provides the researcher with the opportunity to explore the skeletal system both in vi...
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Published in | Nature protocols Vol. 6; no. 1; pp. 105 - 110 |
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Main Authors | , , , , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
London
Nature Publishing Group UK
01.01.2011
Nature Publishing Group |
Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
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Summary: | Microcomputed tomography (microCT) analysis is a powerful tool for the evaluation of bone tissue because it provides access to the 3D microarchitecture of the bone. It is invaluable for regenerative medicine as it provides the researcher with the opportunity to explore the skeletal system both
in vivo
and
ex vivo
. The quantitative assessment of macrostructural characteristics and microstructural features may improve our ability to estimate the quality of newly formed bone. We have developed a unique procedure for analyzing data from microCT scans to evaluate bone structure and repair. This protocol describes the procedures for microCT analysis of three main types of mouse bone regeneration models (ectopic administration of bone-forming mesenchymal stem cells, and administration of cells after both long bone defects and cranial segmental bone defects) that can be easily adapted for a variety of other models. Precise protocols are crucial because the system is extremely user sensitive and results can be easily biased if standardized methods are not applied. The suggested protocol takes 1.5–3.5 h per sample, depending on bone tissue sample size, the type of equipment used, variables of the scanning protocol and the operator's experience. |
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Bibliography: | ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23 |
ISSN: | 1754-2189 1750-2799 |
DOI: | 10.1038/nprot.2010.180 |