A Knowledge of Bone at the Cellular (Histological) Level is Essential to Paleopathology

Ragsdale, Bruce D.; Lehmer, Larisa M.

doi:10.1002/9781444345940.ch13

Cited by 27 publications

(43 citation statements)

References 41 publications

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“…During recent decades, paleopathology has become more interdisciplinary, particularly in its technical field [21]. Thus, microscopic investigations can make contributions to the establishment of reliable diagnoses.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Is it possible to diagnose TB in ancient bone using microscopy?

Schultz¹,

Schmidt-Schultz²

2015

Tuberculosis

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Is it possible to diagnose TB in ancient bone using microscopy?

Schultz¹,

Schmidt-Schultz²

2015

Tuberculosis

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“…Periosteal lesions also are associated with neoplastic, metabolic, congenital, and genetic diseases . New bone formation ultimately occurs because of the activity of osteoblasts, and factors that result in an increase in vascular permeability and edema can create conditions that promote osteoblast activity (Ragsdale and Lehmer 2012). Recent work has revealed specific inflammatory factors, hormones, and other signaling molecules that affect the formation of periosteal lesions (Dimitriou et al 2005;Klaus 2014;Weston 2012).…”

Section: Advances In Our Understanding Of Lesion-formation Processesmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Osteological Paradox 20 Years Later: Past Perspectives, Future Directions

2015

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More than 20 years ago, Wood et al. (Curr Anthropol 33:343-370, 1992) published ''The Osteological Paradox: Problems of Inferring Prehistoric Health from Skeletal Samples,'' in which they challenged bioarchaeologists to consider the effects of heterogeneous frailty and selective mortality on health inferences in past populations. Here, we review the paper's impact on bioarchaeology and paleopathology, focusing on recent advancements in studies of ancient health. We find the paper is often cited but infrequently engaged in a meaningful way. Despite an initial decade of limited progress, numerous researchers are now addressing components of the Paradox in more informed ways. We identify four areas of fruitful research: (1) intrasite, contextual perspectives, (2) subadults, (3) associating stress markers with demographic phenomena, and (4) skeletal lesion-formation processes. Although often seen as a problematic assumption, understanding the sources of heterogeneous frailty within human populations is a worthy research question in and of itself, and one that clearly links past and present health research within a global framework.

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“…The cambium can be perturbed by a variety of stressors, such as infection, trauma, and venous stasis. The buildup of pus and interstitial pressure between the bone and periosteal membrane can compress, stretch, and tear capillaries in the periosteum to trigger additional inflammation in response to extravasated blood along with hematoma formation and hematoma organization into reactive new bone (Ragsdale and Lehmer, 2012). Chronic but non-lethal infection promotes a longer-term inflammatory response (Bryan, 2000) where mononuclear leukocytes, neutrophils, and fibroblasts migrate to an infection site, and among other effects, produce pus.…”

Section: Perspectives From Pathophysiology and Molecular Biologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Frontiers in the bioarchaeology of stress and disease: Cross‐disciplinary perspectives from pathophysiology, human biology, and epidemiology

Klaus

2014

American J Phys Anthropol

134

103

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Over the last four decades, bioarchaeology has experienced significant technical growth and theoretical maturation. Early 21st century bioarchaeology may also be enhanced from a renewed engagement with the concept of biological stress. New insights on biological stress and disease can be gained from cross-disciplinary perspectives regarding human skeletal variation and disease. First, pathophysiologic and molecular signaling mechanisms can provide more precise understandings regarding formation of pathological phenotypes in bone. Using periosteal new bone formation as an example, various mechanisms and pathways are explored in which new bone can be formed under conditions of biological stress, particularly in bone microenvironments that involve inflammatory changes. Second, insights from human biology are examined regarding some epigenetic factors and disease etiology. While epigenetic effects on stress and disease outcomes appear profoundly influential, they are mostly invisible in skeletal tissue. However, some indirect and downstream effects, such as the developmental origins of adult health outcomes, may be partially observable in bioarchaeological data. Emerging perspectives from the human microbiome are also considered. Microbiomics involves a remarkable potential to understand ancient biology, disease, and stress. Third, tools from epidemiology are examined that may aid bioarchaeologists to better cope with some of the inherent limitations of skeletal samples to better measure and quantify the expressions of skeletal stress markers. Such cross-disciplinary synergisms hopefully will promote more complete understandings of health and stress in bioarchaeological science.

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A Knowledge of Bone at the Cellular (Histological) Level is Essential to Paleopathology

Cited by 27 publications

References 41 publications

Is it possible to diagnose TB in ancient bone using microscopy?

Is it possible to diagnose TB in ancient bone using microscopy?

The Osteological Paradox 20 Years Later: Past Perspectives, Future Directions

Frontiers in the bioarchaeology of stress and disease: Cross‐disciplinary perspectives from pathophysiology, human biology, and epidemiology

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