There are many components that determine “bone quality”, the most important being mass and density (some unknown). The reader is referred to the Imaging page for a description of these end-points.

Biomechanical strength testing is considered the most important test of bone quality and is discussed on the bone strength page.

In addition to bone density and strength, aspects of bone quality can also be assessed using other techniques to characterize the bone matrix and collagen cross-linking. These end-points can be derived in several ways such as ashing to assess mineralization, micro-CT scanning to assess tissue mineral density, chemical analysis of collagen cross-links, micro-fracture density, and Raman spectroscopy to assess bone mineral and matrix collagen components including crystallinity and hardness, among others.

Selected publications:

Biomechanics, Chapter 7 in Bone Toxicology, 2017 Lin ASP, Boyd G, Varela A, Guldberg RE. Eds: SY Smith, A Varela, R Samadfam, Springer: Molecular and Integrative Toxicology series.

Abaloparatide, a novel PTH receptor agonist, increased bone mass and strength in ovariectomized cynomolgus monkeys by increasing bone formation without increasing bone resorption. Doyle N, Varela A, Haile S, Guldberg R, Kostenuik PJ, Ominsky MS, Smith SY, Hattersley G. Osteoporos Int. 2018 Mar;29(3):685-69.

One year of abaloparatide, a selective peptide activator of the PTH1 receptor, increased bone mass and strength in ovariectomized rats. Varela A, Chouinard L, Lesage E, Guldberg R, Smith SY, Kostenuik PJ, Hattersley G. Bone. 2017 Feb;95:143-150.

One year of abaloparatide, a selective activator of the PTH1 receptor, increased bone formation and bone mass in osteopenic ovariectomized rats without increasing bone resorption.  Varela A, Chouinard L, Lesage E, Smith SY, Hattersley G.  J Bone Miner Res. 2017 Jan 32(1):24-33.

Treatment with eldecalcitol positively affects mineralization, microdamage, and collagen crosslinks in primate bone. Saito M, Grynpas MD, Burr DB, Allen MR, Smith SY, Doyle N, Amizuka N, Hasegawa T, Kida Y, Marumo K, Saito H. Bone. 2015 Apr;73:8-15.

Decreased bone remodeling and porosity are associated with improved bone strength in ovariectomized cynomolgus monkeys treated with denosumab, a fully human RANKL antibody.  Kostenuik PJ, Smith SY, Jolette J, Schroeder J, Pyrah, I,  Ominsky MS.  Bone. 2011 49:151-61.

Intermittent ibandronate preserves bone quality and bone strength in the lumbar spine after 16 months of treatment in the ovariectomized cynomolgus monkey. Müller R, Hannan M, Smith SY, Bauss F.  J Bone Miner Res. 2004 Nov;19(11):1787-96.

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