Grant: Operating Grant - PA: Regional Partnership Program - Saskatchewan

Bones are dynamic and living structures which undergo continuous change throughout life. When balanced, the continual destruction and formation of tissue enables bones to meet the physiological and mechanical demands placed upon them. Imbalance in these processes leads to disease - the most significant of which is osteoporosis. This disease, known as the 'silent thief', is an increasing burden (human and economic) on developed and developing nations around the globe. In this context it is imperative that we develop a better understanding of how bones age. Ultimately, it is cells embedded directly within bone tissue (osteocytes) which give it life and enable change across the lifespan. Despite being surrounded by solid bone, these cells are able to survive due to a vast network of interconnections which transports nutrients and wastes. This network, similar to that of neurons in the brain, also provides a means by which the cells communicate with each other and coordinate the activities of other cells which form (osteoblasts) and breakdown (osteoclasts) bone tissue. Thus understanding the structure and function of this network is a critical step in combatting osteoporotic disease. The current project brings together an international team (Canadian and Australian) to study the cellular-level organization of human bone. Cutting-edge 3D imaging technology and computer simulation will be combined with one of the best human bone tissue banks in the world - the Melbourne Femur Collection. A key target of the research will be to investigate differences in how the bones of men and women age and related functional consequences. Differences in structural organization of the osteocyte network could, in part, explain the increased prevalence of osteoporotic disease in women. In broader terms, the knowledge obtained will provide an unprecedented perspective on the aging of human bone and has the potential to identify novel targets for prevention and intervention in the future.