J Korean Orthop Assoc.  2007 Oct;42(5):644-652. 10.4055/jkoa.2007.42.5.644.

Study of Bone Quality and Growth Characteristics of Growth Plate following Limb Transplantation between Animals of Different Ages-results of an Experimental Study on Male Syngeneic Rats

• Kim TH
• Song HR
• Chun EM
• Yang JH
• Suh SW

• KMID: 2186472
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4055/jkoa.2007.42.5.644

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Osteoporosis of transplanted/grafted bone is well known in the immediate post bone transplantation/bone grafting period. In limb transplantation, the growth plates in the transplanted limbs retain their longitudinal growth properties. However, there is a paucity of reports on what happens to the bone and the growth potential of the growth plate when limb transplantation between a juvenile donor and an adult recipient is performed.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Ten juvenile to juvenile hind limb transplants and five juvenile to adult hind limb transplants were performed in male syngeneic Lewis rats. Osteoporosis in the isochronograft as well as the heterochronograft limbs was measured by 3D micro-CT. In addition, the increase in tibial length, after transplantation was measured and compared with the increase in the tibial length of the opposite non-operated limbs.
RESULTS
The 3D CT parameters indicate a significantly inferior bone quality in the heterochronografts compared with the isochronografts. After transplantation, the increase in the tibial length of the isochronografts was similar the increase in length of the opposite juvenile non operated tibiae and the heterochronograft tibias.
CONCLUSION
Age is a significant factor that affects the bone quality, resulting in post transplant osteoporosis in heterochronografts compared with isochronografts. However, the growth plate after transplantation remains unaffected by the difference in age and continues to grow at its own inherent rate in adult recipients as it does in the juvenile recipients.

Keyword

Growth plate; Osteoporosis; Limb transplant; Isochronograft; Heterochronograft; Transplantation

MeSH Terms

Adult
Animals*
Extremities*
Growth Plate*
Humans
Male*
Osteoporosis
Rats*
Tibia
Tissue Donors
Transplantation
Transplants

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Radiogram of the rat hindlimbs taken 3 weeks after transplantation-tibial lengths of both the transplanted and opposite non operated limb were measured.

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  Fig. 2 Radiograph of rat hindlimbs 10 weeks after transplantation showing an increase in the length of the tibias of the transplanted limbs as well as the opposite non operated limbs.

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