A simulation study of marrow fat effect on bone biomechanics

Abstract

Bone marrow was assumed to be negligible on the aspect of bone mechanical behavior, where bone mass and bone mineral density were most studied. As a result, if the bone marrow, especially the marrow fat, plays a role in the bone mechanical properties is unknown yet. Marrow fat content was found increased in osteoporotic bone. However, the relationship between such change of bone marrow and bone strength is not clear yet. This study was proposed to investigate the effect of marrow fat on the bone biomechanical performance by computer simulations. A finite element model was established based on trabecular structure extracted from quantitative CT at L3 vertebrae. Simulations were conducted on the models with and without marrow fat under the same condition, respectively. The results showed that the cancellous bone with marrow fat had a 7.56%~18.81% higher maximum stress in trabeculae. Further, trabeculae with higher Young's modulus tend to sustain a higher maximum compressive stress when considering the marrow fat. As a conclusion, the marrow fat has effect on bone biomechanics, which cannot be ignored. Such effect in osteoporosis should be further investigated in deep.

Marrow Adipose Tissue: Trimming the Fat

“…For example, there is evidence that MAT may contribute to the mechanical properties of the skeleton [44,45] (Figure 1). MAT is also intimately associated with the blood-forming marrow.…”

Percentage fat fraction in magnetic resonance imaging: upgrading the osteoporosis-detecting parameter

“…Generally, it is expressed by detecting the resonance frequency between the substance and the reference to obtain a relative value of parts per million, which has been gradually applied to the diagnosis of various diseases including tumors [14]. Previous study of the lumbar spine has indicated that bone density has a negative relationship with bone marrow fat content [15]. The 1H MRS method is the only noninvasive method providing information on the biochemical profile of patient tissues in vivo [16].…”

Bone Marrow Adipocytes—Role in Physiology and Various Nutritional Conditions in Human and Animal Models

“…The supporting function, both mechanical and biochemical, of BMAT adipocytes may be envisioned by certain examples. There are data showing BMAT’s contribution to the mechanical properties of the skeleton or its association with haematopoiesis [ 43 , 44 , 45 ]. In vitro experiments showed increased differentiation of CD34+ cells in the presence of human BMAT and in the same context, in vivo results showed inhibitory characteristics of BMAT, induction of quiescence and loss of haematopoietic progenitor cells [ 43 , 46 ].…”