title: Age-related changes of bone mineral density and microarchitecture in miniature pigs.
abstract: Bone mineral density (BMD), distribution of its density and bone histomorphometric parameters were evaluated in lumbar vertebra of normally growing miniature pigs. The fourth lumbar vertebra (L4) of the Göttingen miniature pig were used in this cross-sectional study in vitro. The BMD of the miniature pig was similar to that of humans in tendency of gender differences and some growth patterns during puberty. In these regards this animal appears useful as a model for human bone study. However, the trabecular and cortical BMDs of lumbar spine were extremely high value (399.43 +/- 26.36 mg/cm(3) in female trabeculae; 973.06 +/- 69.55 mg/cm(3) in female cortical bone; 419.04 +/- 34.84 mg/cm(3) in male trabeculae; 1038.81 +/- 125.72 mg/cm(3) in male cortical bone in pigs 30 months or more). Furthermore, histomorphometric analysis yielded values that were remarkably different from those found in humans. From these results, it was revealed that miniature pig had a higher bone mass and denser trabecular network than human, indicating that its bone is probably stronger. Therefore, care should be taken in choosing the miniature pig as a bone study model.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Hospital, Faculty of Agriculture, Yamaguchi University, Japan.
authors.forename: Azusa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Inui
authors.forename: Kazuhito
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Itamoto
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takuma
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tsutsumi
authors.forename: Manabu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tanigawa
authors.forename: Mineo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hayasaki
authors.forename: Yasuho
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Taura
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mamba
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon / Q000662:veterinary; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D015519:Bone Density / Q000502:physiology*; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000502:physiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D013552:Swine; D013556:Swine, Miniature / Q000502:physiology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000662:veterinary