Development of optical bone clearing technique and elucidation of pathophysiology of bone metabolic disorders focusing on neural-vascular network

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19H03777
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 56020:Orthopedics-related
• Research Institution: Tokyo Medical and Dental University
• Principal Investigator: Sato Shingo 東京医科歯科大学, 医学部附属病院, 講師 (40462220)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 越智 広樹 国立障害者リハビリテーションセンター(研究所), 研究所 運動機能系障害研究部, 研究員 (30582283)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 整形外科 / 組織透明化技術 / 骨代謝 / 臓器間ネットワーク

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we succeeded in visualizing the neural-vascular network in musculoskeletal tissues by using cutting-edge technologies such as optical bone clearing technique and 3D imaging. We also developed an original method to quantify the amount of nerves or blood vessels based on the obtained 3D analysis data. Furthermore, we clarified the effect of mechanical stress on the maintenance of homeostasis of musculoskeletal tissues from the viewpoint of neural-vascular network, and applied our optical bone clearing technique to the pathological analysis of various bone metabolic disorders.

Free Research Field

整形外科

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

不動性骨粗鬆症、閉経後骨粗鬆症、骨折、がんの骨転移などの筋骨格系疾患の病態解析に、研究代表者らが開発した骨透明化技術を応用し、これらの疾患における神経-血管ネットワークの病態生理学的意義を明らかにできれば、神経・血管系を標的とした筋骨格系疾患の新たな治療法の開発に繋がることが期待される。