Microscale Bone Alterations in a Mouse Model of Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
(2025) BMEM01 20251Department of Biomedical Engineering
- Abstract
- Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) is a condition arising when dietary energy intake is insufficient to meet the combined demands of training and normal physiological functions. RED-S negatively impacts bone health, and increases the risk of stress fractures. Yet, its effects on bone matrix organization and overall bone quality is not well understood. Collagen and the osteocyte cells' communication network (lacunar-canalicular network) both play an important role in bone strength and adaptation.
This thesis investigates the effects of RED-S on bone microstructure, with particular focus on collagen fiber organization and the lacunar-canalicular network. The primary aim is to analyze collagen alignment across three cortical bone... (More) - Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) is a condition arising when dietary energy intake is insufficient to meet the combined demands of training and normal physiological functions. RED-S negatively impacts bone health, and increases the risk of stress fractures. Yet, its effects on bone matrix organization and overall bone quality is not well understood. Collagen and the osteocyte cells' communication network (lacunar-canalicular network) both play an important role in bone strength and adaptation.
This thesis investigates the effects of RED-S on bone microstructure, with particular focus on collagen fiber organization and the lacunar-canalicular network. The primary aim is to analyze collagen alignment across three cortical bone regions: endosteal, mid-cortical, and periosteal, in tibial sections from RED-S and control mice, using tissue provided by collaborators in the host lab (van Rosmalen et al.). In parallel, the study lays the foundation for future analysis of RED-S-related changes in the lacunar-canalicular network. Two different types of microscopy techniques were used, multi-photon second harmonic generation and confocal light scanning microscopy. Quantifications of collagen orientation and distribution were made using mode-angle (the most dominant fiber orientation), and circular variance (a measurment of alignment).
Overall, the collagen alignment was higher in the endosteal and periosteal region when compared to the mid-cortical region within the two groups. Studying differences between RED-S and control groups, no statistical differences were established, but trends showed higher alignment in the control group when examining dominant fiber orientation, particularly in the regions of remodeling.
This work helped establish a pipeline for future automated segmentation and quantification of lacunar-canalicular network features, necessary for quantification of connectivity and health. In conclusion, this study lays important groundwork for future investigations, suggesting that collagen alignment, when interpreted alongside complementary metrics, could possibly contribute to a more nuanced understanding of bone quality under energy-deficient conditions for athletes. Larger sample groups are further needed for more conclusive results. (Less) - Popular Abstract (Swedish)
- Kan energibalansen vid träning påverka benkvalitet?
Hur påverkas de små byggstenarna i benet när kroppen får för lite energi men samtidigt utsätts för hård träningsbelastning? Denna studie undersöker hur man kan visualisera både kollagenfibrer samt bencellernas kommunikationsnätverk i benvävnad hos möss med, respektive utan relativ energibrist (RED-S).
Relativ energibrist inom idrott (RED-S) uppstår när idrottare under längre tid har ett energiintag som är lägre än kroppens behov vid träning och återhämtning. Tillståndet drabbar idrottare på alla nivåer och påverkar flera av kroppens system och funktioner, inklusive hormonbalans och benhälsa. En av de mest konkreta riskerna är nedsatt benstyrka och ökad risk för sprickor, men... (More) - Kan energibalansen vid träning påverka benkvalitet?
Hur påverkas de små byggstenarna i benet när kroppen får för lite energi men samtidigt utsätts för hård träningsbelastning? Denna studie undersöker hur man kan visualisera både kollagenfibrer samt bencellernas kommunikationsnätverk i benvävnad hos möss med, respektive utan relativ energibrist (RED-S).
Relativ energibrist inom idrott (RED-S) uppstår när idrottare under längre tid har ett energiintag som är lägre än kroppens behov vid träning och återhämtning. Tillståndet drabbar idrottare på alla nivåer och påverkar flera av kroppens system och funktioner, inklusive hormonbalans och benhälsa. En av de mest konkreta riskerna är nedsatt benstyrka och ökad risk för sprickor, men detaljerad kunskap om hur benets olika byggstenar påverkas saknas. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9210916
- author
- Bettinger, Hilma LU
- supervisor
- organization
- alternative title
- Effekter av relativ energibrist på skelettets mikroskopiska strukturer
- course
- BMEM01 20251
- year
- 2025
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- keywords
- Relative energy deficiency in sport, Second harmonic generation microscopy, Multiphoton microscopy, Confocal light scanning microscopy, Collagen, Lacunar-canalicular network, Mouse-model, Bone, Microstructures
- language
- English
- additional info
- 2025-20
- id
- 9210916
- date added to LUP
- 2025-10-31 08:23:03
- date last changed
- 2025-10-31 08:23:03
@misc{9210916,
abstract = {{Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) is a condition arising when dietary energy intake is insufficient to meet the combined demands of training and normal physiological functions. RED-S negatively impacts bone health, and increases the risk of stress fractures. Yet, its effects on bone matrix organization and overall bone quality is not well understood. Collagen and the osteocyte cells' communication network (lacunar-canalicular network) both play an important role in bone strength and adaptation.
This thesis investigates the effects of RED-S on bone microstructure, with particular focus on collagen fiber organization and the lacunar-canalicular network. The primary aim is to analyze collagen alignment across three cortical bone regions: endosteal, mid-cortical, and periosteal, in tibial sections from RED-S and control mice, using tissue provided by collaborators in the host lab (van Rosmalen et al.). In parallel, the study lays the foundation for future analysis of RED-S-related changes in the lacunar-canalicular network. Two different types of microscopy techniques were used, multi-photon second harmonic generation and confocal light scanning microscopy. Quantifications of collagen orientation and distribution were made using mode-angle (the most dominant fiber orientation), and circular variance (a measurment of alignment).
Overall, the collagen alignment was higher in the endosteal and periosteal region when compared to the mid-cortical region within the two groups. Studying differences between RED-S and control groups, no statistical differences were established, but trends showed higher alignment in the control group when examining dominant fiber orientation, particularly in the regions of remodeling.
This work helped establish a pipeline for future automated segmentation and quantification of lacunar-canalicular network features, necessary for quantification of connectivity and health. In conclusion, this study lays important groundwork for future investigations, suggesting that collagen alignment, when interpreted alongside complementary metrics, could possibly contribute to a more nuanced understanding of bone quality under energy-deficient conditions for athletes. Larger sample groups are further needed for more conclusive results.}},
author = {{Bettinger, Hilma}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Microscale Bone Alterations in a Mouse Model of Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport}},
year = {{2025}},
}