Anatomical and Histological Evidence of Aluminum Bone Toxicity: An Experimental Study

Abstract

Objectives: Aluminum has may be cytotoxic to animals and humans. It is mainly stored in bone and unfortunately, its absorption is increased with age. This study is done to define possible aluminum pathological changes in bone of aging albino rats. Methods: Twenty male albino rats aged 24 months was divided into two groups, control experimental. Experimental group received aluminum chloride for 10 weeks orally. The femur of both control and experimental group is investigated by light and electron microscope. Plain X-ray to the femur as an example to bone is also done. Results: Plain X-ray of femurs of the experimental group showed medullary bone trabeculae destruction, cortical bone resorption and sclerosis. Sections of the shaft of the femur stained with H&E confirmed X-ray gross picture and the bony cortex appeared very thin in comparison with control and showed multiple erosion cavities that may leads to bone fractures. Bone cells appeared few and highly degenerated while the periosteum was very thin and detached from the bone cortex. The bone trabeculae were highly destroyed, and the wide bone marrow spaces were filled by fat cells in some bones. At the level of electron microscope, both osteocytes and osteoblasts revealed severe degenerative changes and showed few irregular collagenous matrices. Conclusion: The degenerative changes observed in the bone of this study are most probably due to aluminum ingestion.