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Biological Trace Element Research

, Volume 188, Issue 1, pp 221–229 | Cite as

Effects of Nutritional Deficiency of Boron on the Bones of the Appendicular Skeleton of Mice

  • Alejandro A. GorustovichEmail author
  • Forrest H. Nielsen
Article
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Abstract

Scientific evidence has shown the nutritional importance of boron (B) in the remodeling and repair of cancellous bone tissue. However, the effects of the nutritional deficiency of B on the cortical bone tissue of the appendicular skeleton have not yet been described. Thus, a study was performed to histomorphometrically evaluate the density of osteocyte lacunae of cortical bone of mouse femora under conditions of nutritional deficiency of B and to analyze the effects of the deficiency on the biomechanical properties of mouse tibiae. Weaning, 21-day-old male Swiss mice were assigned to the following two groups: controls (B+; n = 10) and experimental (B−; n = 10). Control mice were fed a basal diet containing 3 mg B/kg, whereas experimental mice were fed a B-deficient diet containing 0.07 mg B/kg for 9 weeks. The histological and histomorphometric evaluations of the mice fed a B-deficient diet showed a decrease in the density of osteocyte lacunae in the femoral cortical bone tissue and the evaluation of biomechanical properties showed lower bone rigidity in the tibia.

Keywords

Boron Cortical bone Osteocyte lacunae Histomorphometry Biomechanical properties 
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Notes

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to acknowledge the technical assistance of Jim Lindlauf (USDA ARS, Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center) for the preparation of the animal diets and Lic. Pablo Do Campo (IByME-CONICET) for the confocal laser scanning microscopy.

Funding Information

This study was supported by the United States Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service USDA, ARS Extramural Agreement 58-5450-4N-F038.

Compliance with Ethical Standards

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical Approval

All applicable international, national, and/or institutional guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed.

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© Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2018

Authors and Affiliations

  • Alejandro A. Gorustovich
    • 1
    Email author
  • Forrest H. Nielsen
    • 2
  1. 1.Interdisciplinary Materials Group-IESIING-UCASALSaltaArgentina
  2. 2.Research Nutritionist ConsultantGrand ForksUSA

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