title: The structure of pedicle and hard antler bone in the European roe deer (Capreolus capreolus): a light microscope and backscattered electron imaging study.
abstract: Deer antlers are deciduous bony structures that develop from permanent frontal outgrowths, the pedicles. While growth and bone architecture of antlers have been studied in greater detail, information on pedicle formation and structure is scarce. The present study provides information on the structure of pedicle and hard antler bone in the European roe deer. A pronounced seasonal variation in pedicle architecture was observed, with high porosity around antler casting and a very compact bone structure during the hard antler stage. These observations suggest a corresponding marked variation also in the biomechanical properties of the pedicles. The seasonally alternating extensive resorption and formation processes make the pedicles of older deer heavily remodeled structures. Pedicles increase in thickness by apposition of primary bone that subsequently becomes replaced by secondary osteons. The antler cortex of roe deer is largely composed of a tubular framework of woven bone trabeculae with some remnants of mineralized cartilage, and primary osteons that have filled in the intertrabecular spaces. Secondary osteons are scarce, denoting little remodeling in antlers, which can be related to their short lifespan. The occurrence of cement lines around primary osteons indicates resorption on the trabecular scaffold prior to infilling of the intertrabecular spaces. The outer cortex showed a higher autofluorescence and a more immature structure than the main cortex, suggesting that it was secondarily formed by periosteal activity. Pedicles and antlers constitute a functional entity, and future histological and/or biomechanical studies should therefore consider both components of the cranial appendages.
authors: Department of Biology, University of Hildesheim, Hildesheim, Germany.
authors: Uwe
authors: U
authors: Kierdorf
authors: Stefan
authors: S
authors: Flohr
authors: Santiago
authors: S
authors: Gomez
authors: Tomas
authors: T
authors: Landete-Castillejos
authors: Horst
authors: H
authors: Kierdorf
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000999:Antlers / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D001846:Bone Development; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D003670:Deer / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005060:Europe; D008297:Male; D008853:Microscopy; D012621:Seasons
keywords: bone remodeling; bone resorption; fibrolamellar bone; primary and secondary osteons; woven bone
references: J Morphol. 2007 Aug;268(8):726-38
references: 17538973
references: Anat Embryol (Berl). 1983;168(2):211-26
references: 6660563
references: Anat Rec A Discov Mol Cell Evol Biol. 2006 Sep;288(9):973-81
references: 16892427
references: Calcif Tissue Int. 1982 May;34(3):301-5
references: 6809293
references: J Anat. 1992 Dec;181 ( Pt 3):455-69
references: 1304584
references: Calcif Tissue Res. 1970;5(2):108-14
references: 4246473
references: Anat Rec. 2002 Sep 1;268(1):66-72
references: 12209566
references: J Exp Zool. 1995 Feb 1;271(2):120-30
references: 7884386
references: J Biomed Mater Res. 1993 Jan;27(1):47-56
references: 8380598
references: Front Biosci (Elite Ed). 2013 Jan 01;5:479-89
references: 23277003
references: Anat Histol Embryol. 2009 Jun;38(3):184-8
references: 19469766
references: J Morphol. 2004 Nov;262(2):546-65
references: 15376271
references: J Microsc. 2011 Jan;241(1):29-36
references: 21118202
references: Am J Anat. 1949 Jan;84(1):27-61
references: 18141486
references: J Exp Zool. 1992 Dec 15;264(4):429-36
references: 1460440
references: Anat Rec. 1994 Jun;239(2):198-215
references: 8059982
references: Acta Biomater. 2010 Apr;6(4):1505-14
references: 19941980
references: Anat Rec A Discov Mol Cell Evol Biol. 2003 Aug;273(2):741-51
references: 12845710
references: Front Biosci (Elite Ed). 2012 Jan 01;4:1606-24
references: 22201978
references: Anat Rec A Discov Mol Cell Evol Biol. 2004 Dec;281(2):1352-62
references: 15523621
references: J Exp Zool. 1995 Sep 1;273(1):33-43
references: 7561722
references: Calcif Tissue Res. 1974 May 28;14(4):257-74
references: 4135756
references: Am J Anat. 1962 Mar;110:79-101
references: 13890322
references: Bone. 2012 Jan;50(1):245-54
references: 22071000
references: Am J Anat. 1962 May;110:269-305
references: 13890323
references: J Exp Biol. 2009 Dec;212(Pt 24):3985-93
references: 19946076
references: Anat Rec. 1968 Dec;162(4):387-98
references: 5701619
references: J Exp Zool. 1993 Jul 1;266(3):195-205
references: 8515202
references: Eur Cell Mater. 2012 Apr 21;23:300-8; discussion 308-9
references: 22522284
references: Front Biosci (Elite Ed). 2012 Jun 01;4:2328-39
references: 22652640
references: J Anat. 1988 Jun;158:31-42
references: 3225223
references: Semin Cell Dev Biol. 2009 Jul;20(5):535-42
references: 19084608
references: Bone. 2013 Jan;52(1):506-15
references: 23000508
references: Bone. 1987;8(1):19-22
references: 3580215
references: Ann Anat. 1994 Jun;176(3):243-9
references: 8059968
references: Acta Biomater. 2009 Feb;5(2):693-706
references: 18951859
references: Am J Anat. 1951 May;88(3):351-95
references: 14837894
references: J Anat. 2005 Oct;207(4):339-51
references: 16191163
references: J Anat. 2005 Nov;207(5):603-18
references: 16313394
references: Ann Anat. 1998 Dec;180(6):501-10
references: 9862029
references: Dev Dyn. 1996 Mar;205(3):332-47
references: 8850568
references: Anat Rec. 1956 Apr;124(4):709-21
references: 13327279
references: Bone. 1998 Oct;23(4):319-26
references: 9763143
references: J Anat. 2000 Jan;196 ( Pt 1):71-83
references: 10697290
references: Anat Rec. 1999 May 1;255(1):69-77
references: 10321994
references: Anat Rec. 1995 Dec;243(4):413-20
references: 8597287
references: Anat Rec. 1999 Sep 1;256(1):14-9
references: 10456981
references: Gerontology. 2011;57(1):53-65
references: 20332600
references: Anat Rec A Discov Mol Cell Evol Biol. 2005 Feb;282(2):163-74
references: 15641024
references: J Bone Miner Res. 1988 Apr;3(2):159-64
references: 3213611
references: J Struct Biol. 2011 Sep;175(3):457-64
references: 21704707
references: Anat Rec A Discov Mol Cell Evol Biol. 2005 Sep;286(1):781-803
references: 16037990
references: Anat Rec. 1996 Sep;246(1):39-46
references: 8876822
references: J Histochem Cytochem. 1972 Apr;20(4):279-92
references: 4113296
references: J Reprod Fertil. 1984 May;71(1):7-15
references: 6374134
references: Anat Rec. 2002 Oct 1;268(2):125-30
references: 12221718