Innervation of bones: Why it should not be neglected?

Abstract

Bones encompass a diverse network of sensory, sympathetic and even parasympathetic nerve fibers. While there is still insufficient understanding of the exact roles of these fibers in the skeleton, there is increasing evidence that they serve both afferent and efferent functions. Apart from pain transmission, some of their functions are regulation of bone remodeling, skeletal growth and fracture healing. That indicates that further research on bone innervation may shed more light on the main topics of bone biology, such as bone fragility in aged and osteoporotic individuals, alterations in fracture healing in various conditions, bone cancer pain, etc. This review article will present main morphological and functional characteristics of bone innervation.

An Elastin‐Derived Composite Matrix for Enhanced Vascularized and Innervated Bone Tissue Reconstruction: From Material Development to Preclinical Evaluation

“…[19] Lastly, they can be functionalized by grafting specific molecules to enhance tissue repair. [17] The non-osseous systems, including the nervous, [21] vascular, [22] and immune systems, [23] play crucial roles in both bone development and regeneration. As such, the development of relevant scaffolds for bone tissue repair should consider both vascularization and innervation.…”

Endogenous Electric Field‐Coupled PD@BP Biomimetic Periosteum Promotes Bone Regeneration through Sensory Nerve via Fanconi Anemia Signaling Pathway

“…Furthermore, the bone marrow produces various blood cells, whereas bone can store but not regenerate minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, and essential ions. [1,2] Although its regeneration ability is relatively strong, the nonhealing rate following bone injury exceeds 10%. Bone defects cause not only severe mental distress and physical harm to patients but also burden the government by causing losses amounting to US $21 billion per year .…”

Structural Reorganization of the Third Metatarsal Bone Shaft After Autogenous Plasty of the Tibial Portion of the Sciatic Nerve

“…Однако уже в первой половине XX в. были выявлены вазомоторные нервы гаверсовых каналов и нервные волокна в костном матриксе [2]. В последние два десятилетия исследования костной иннервации интенсифицировались [3]: доказано опосредованное нейротрансмиттерами, нейропептидами, аксональными факторами роста и нейротрофинами участие периферических нервов в развитии и репарации костей [4], изучена нейральная регуляция функции остеобластов и остеокластов в норме и в условиях патологии, прежде всего при остеопорозе [5,6,7]. Установлено, что патогенез «пятнистого» остеопороза при посттравматическом комплексном регионарном болевом синдроме, ранее известном под терминами «рефлекторная симпатическая дистрофия» и «каузалгия» (у пациентов с повреждениями периферических нервов), включает участие не только периферической, но и центральной нервной системы [8].…”