Mapping the Organic and Inorganic Components of Normal and Osteoporotic Bone Using Nexafs.

Abstract

<jats:p>Ultra-thin unstained sections of femoral neck bone from normal and ovariectomised mice were imaged in a scanning transmission x-ray microscope. The images were formed using soft x-ray energies at the calcium L and carbon K edges. The aim of the study was to quantitatively map the calcium, protein and embedding medium in normal and ovariectomised (osteoporotic) mice to compare the quantity and distribution of mineral (via calcium), collagen (via protein) and hydrated content (via embedding medium substitution).</jats:p><jats:p>A set of seven images were taken of both the normal and ovariectomised mouse sections. These images were processed using x-ray optical constants to produce mass thickness maps. The thickness of the sections from the normal mouse and ovariectomised mice were 205nm and 375nm respectively. The images show embedding medium, protein and calcium maps of near complete sections of the majority of the femoral neck at equivalent neck positions in the normal (la, 2a &amp; 3a) and ovariectomised (lb, 2b &amp; 3b) mouse bone sections.</jats:p>