Aging influences loading-induced osteogenesis: The role of fluid flow

Abstract

Treatment or prevention of osteoporotic bone loss is a challenge for clinicians. Recent research efforts have shown that dynamic and cyclic loading may effectively prevent or reverse bone resorption as loading enhances osteogenesis. Loading-induced canalicular fluid flow in bone is considered as a potential stimulus of new bone formation. It is believed that poroelastic material properties such as porosity and permeability typically decide fluid flow in canalicular spaces of bone. Accordingly, the authors hypothesized that changes in poroelastic material properties with age may affect the fluid flow, which in turn affects the new bone response against any external mechanical stimulation. This work attempts to relate the age-related changes in poroelastic material properties to fluid-flow distribution in lacuna-canalicular spaces of bone. The outcomes may be useful in the development of effective strategies to enhance the canalicular fluid flow, so that optimal exercises or sports activities can be designed to prevent or reverse the age-related bone loss.