Bone ALP and OC reference standards in adult baboons (Papio hamadryas) by sex and age.
BACKGROUND
Serum bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (bone ALP) and intact osteocalcin (OC) are markers of bone formation of interest because of easy measurability and potential utility as identifiers of those at risk for fractures associated with bone metabolism disorders. The baboon (Papio hamadryas) exhibits extensive biological similarities to humans making it particularly well suited to studies of bone maintenance and turnover.


METHODS
We measured serum bone ALP and OC in 591 baboons.


RESULTS
We report significant sex and age effects and present reference ranges and percentile distributions for these markers.


CONCLUSIONS
This study is the first to characterize normal variation in bone ALP and OC levels in baboons and to assess the age and sex effects on this variation. The results provide much-needed reference standards to allow researchers to evaluate the status of their animals in cross-sectional studies and assess the meaning of changes in bone ALP and OC levels in longitudinal studies.
Havill
L M
LM
Department of Genetics, Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research, San Antonio, TX 78245-0549, USA. lhavill@darwin.sfbr.org
Hale
L G
LG
Newman
D E
DE
Witte
S M
SM
Mahaney
M C
MC
D000367:Age Factors; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood*; D000818:Animals; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D015675:Osteocalcin / Q000097:blood; D048529:Papio hamadryas / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D012016:Reference Values; D012737:Sex Factors; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
D015675:Osteocalcin; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase