Ischemic injuries and local hypoxia can result in osteocytes dysfunction and play a key role in the pathogenesis of avascular osteonecrosis. Conventional imaging techniques including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) can reveal structural and functional changes within bony anatomy; however, characterization of osteocyte behavioral dynamics in the setting of osteonecrosis at the single cell resolution is limited. Here, we demonstrate an optical approach to study real-time osteocyte functions in vivo. Using nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) as a biomarker for metabolic dynamics in osteocytes, we showed that NADH level within osteocytes transiently increase significantly after local ischemia through non-invasive photo-induced thrombosis of afferent arterioles followed by a steady decline. Our study presents a non-invasive optical approach to study osteocyte behavior through the modulation of local environmental conditions. Thus it provides a powerful toolkit to study cellular processes involved in bone pathologies in vivo.
[1]Mayo Clin, Coll Med, Dept Neurosurg, 4500 San Pablo Rd, Jacksonville, FL 32224 USA;
[2]Fudan Univ, Shanghai Med Sch, 138 Yixueyuan Rd, Shanghai 200032, Peoples R China;
[3]UT Southwestern Med Ctr, Dept Radiat Oncol, 6001 Forest Pk Rd, Dallas, TX 75235 USA
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