A literature review of the spatial organization of lamellar bone

Abstract

a b s t r a c tIdentification and interpretation of bone tissue types is the primary goal of histological analysis. Lamellar bone, a fundamental tissue, is generally easily identifiable in polarized microscopy. It is important, however, to understand the formation and structure of the tissues that are being studied. Lamellae are widely accepted to form a plywood-like structure, but this hypothesis has been and continues to be contested. Here, we discuss the common interpretations provided by the scientific community as to the spatial organization of lamellar bone. The two major competing hypotheses, lamellae that have alternating tissue compositions versus lamellae that alternate in fiber orientation, are described. In addition, recent research has led to a confounding array of interpretations of lamellae, with several authors viewing the thickness, orientations and composition of lamellae differently. We conclude that a blended approach is needed, as the varying methods are not easily comparable to one another. With an integrated approach, lamellae can be better understood, improving interpretations, including histological ones. Mots clés :Os lamellaire Orientation des fibres de collagène Lamellae hétérogènes r é s u m é L'identification et l'interprétation des types de tissu osseux constituent le but principal de l'analyse histologique. L'os lamellaire, un tissu fondamental, est généralement facilement identifiable au microscope polarisant. Il est cependant important de comprendre la formation et la structure des tissus qui sont étudiés. Il est largement admis que les « lamellae » forment une structure de type contreplaqué, mais cette hypothèse a été et continue à être contestée. Dans cet article sont discutées les interprétations courantes fournies à la communauté scientifique quant à l'organisation spatiale de l'os lamellaire. Les deux hypothèses majeures en présence sont, d'une part, que les lamellae ont des compositions de tissu alternant, d'autre part, qu'elles alternent dans l'orientation des fibres. En outre, une recherche récente a conduit à un ensemble déconcertant d'interprétations des lamellae, avec des auteurs envisageant différemment l'épaisseur, les orientations et la composition des lamellae. Nous en concluons qu'une approche combinée est nécessaire, sachant que les diverses méthodes d'étude ne sont pas facilement comparables les unes aux autres. Avec une approche intégrée, les lamellae peuvent être mieux comprises, en perfectionnant les interprétations incluant celles de type histologique.

Bone Microstructure of Pareiasaurs (Parareptilia) from the Karoo Basin, South Africa: Implications for Growth Strategies and Lifestyle Habits

“…Furthermore, in the rib of SAM‐PK‐10026, the osteocyte lacunae present in the centripetally deposited bone of the secondary osteons have a rounded and disorganized aspect. These differ from the commonly fusiform and well‐organized osteocyte lacunae found in the lamellar bone of secondary osteons (Francillon‐Vieillot et al, ; Mitchell and van Heteren, ) . These observations suggest a relatively fast deposited secondary bone in the Haversian canals of the rib of Anthodon , as compared to the usually slowly formed lamellar bone of secondary osteons.…”

Interpreting the three‐dimensional orientation of vascular canals and cross‐sectional geometry of cortical bone in birds and bats

“…; Cubo et al. ; Mitchell & van Heteren, ; Marelli & Simons, ) and for reconstructing behaviour of extinct vertebrates (Seymour et al. ; Padian et al.…”

“…In cortical bone microstructure, the pattern seen in the arrangement of the vascular canal network is thought to occur in response to growth as a juvenile, functional adaptation to use during life, and maintenance and metabolic needs throughout life. These signals are of great interest in using bone as a tool for analysing the life history of vertebrates (de Ricql es et al 1991;Ricql es et al 2000;Cubo et al 2008;Mitchell & van Heteren, 2015;Marelli & Simons, 2014) and for reconstructing behaviour of extinct vertebrates (Seymour et al 2012;Padian et al 2016). As a biological system, the overlap of distinct factors on the same tissue creates confounding effects that interfere with a clear analysis.…”

The three-dimensional arrangement of the mineralized collagen fibers in elephant ivory and its relation to mechanical and optical properties

“…In lamellar bones (main tissue type of mammal bones), layers of parallel MCF are staggered in a plywood-like arrangement [20]. Each MCF layer has a distinct orientation and is tilted with respect to the next layer either continuously (twisted-plywood [21], oscillating-plywood [22]) or discretely (orthogonal-plywood [23], asymmetrical rotated-plywood [20], helical plywood [24]) (for review see [25]). In ivory, the MCF were proposed to arrange in a rotated-plywood like structure [19] with two orthogonal axes of rotation oriented along a set of intersecting ridges radiating respectively clockwise and anti-clockwise from the tusk axis [19] (see Supplementary Appendix B Fig.…”