Structural and biomechanical responses of osseous healing: a novel murine nonunion model
BACKGROUND:
Understanding the biological mechanisms of why certain fractures are at risk for delayed healing or nonunion requires translational animal models that take advantage of transgenic and other genetic manipulation technologies. Reliable murine nonunion models can be an important tool to understand the biology of nonunion. In this study, we report the results of a recently established model for creating critical defects that lead to atrophic nonunions based on a unique fracture fixation technique.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
Subcritical (0.6 mm long) and critical (1.6 mm long) defects were created in femurs of 10-week-old double transgenic (Col1/Col2) mice and stabilized using a custom-designed plate and four screws. Four groups were used: normal, sham, subcritical, and critical. Histology (n = 3 for each group) was analyzed at 2 and 5 weeks, and micro-computed tomography (μCT) and torsional biomechanics (n = 12 for each group) were analyzed at 5 weeks.