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PHYSIOLOGY

Go with the flow—hidden vascular passages in bone

Nature Metabolism volume 1, pages 173–174 (2019)Cite this article

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The circulatory system in long bones is incompletely understood. A new study published in Nature Metabolism unveils the presence of dense vascular networks in long bones that facilitate the egress of bone marrow cells and potentially the exchange of nutrients between the bone marrow and the systemic circulation.

The haemodynamics and structural basis of blood flow in bone have proven challenging to understand given the paucity of imaging modalities available to study vascular channels in this rather impenetrable microenvironment. Clues to the existence of a rich vascular supply emanated from experience on the battlefield, where resuscitation of soldiers with poor venous access is performed with inter-osseous infusions of fluid, which is followed by a rapid systemic response. Despite accumulating evidence for the presence of a complex blood supply in bone, the molecular mechanisms and anatomy underlying these rapid shifts of cells and fluid from bone marrow to the circulation have remained elusive. Writing in this issue of Nature Metabolism, Grüneboom et al.1 provide important new insights into the anatomical architecture and physiology of the vascular system of long bones.

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Fig. 1: Formation and function of trans-cortical vein canals within compact bone.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology Division, Center for Musculoskeletal Research, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA

    Christopher Ritchlin

  2. Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University of California at Davis, Davis, CA, USA

    Iannis E. Adamopoulos

  3. Institute for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Shriners Hospitals for Children Northern California, Sacramento, CA, USA

    Iannis E. Adamopoulos

Authors
  1. Christopher Ritchlin
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  2. Iannis E. Adamopoulos
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Correspondence to Christopher Ritchlin.

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Competing interests

I.A. has received consultancy fees/grants from Pfizer, Schering-Plough/Merck, Tanabe Research Labs, and Novartis. C.R. declares no competing interests.

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Ritchlin, C., Adamopoulos, I.E. Go with the flow—hidden vascular passages in bone. Nat Metab 1, 173–174 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s42255-018-0024-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s42255-018-0024-5

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