Changes in Outlying Bone Marrow Accompanying a Local Increase of Temperature Within Physiological Limits

Abstract

A great difference exists in the adult bone marrow of central bones as compared with outlying bones of the mammalia and avia, the distal bones being at a great disadvantage from the standpoint of blood cell production. Several experimental procedures are reported by which this disadvantage is overcome and in consequence fatty marrow of outlying bones is replaced by red marrow occurring chiefly at the epiphyseal regions, unless a low oxygen stimulus is also provided when marrow of the diaphysis becomes involved. A common factor in all of the experiments was an elevation of temperature beyond that prevailing in these distal regions, and it is felt that the evidence warrants the opinion that the cause of improvement is thermal. In some experiments, blood cell formation was increasing while the heat was adversely affecting the testis. The experiments permit construction of a general theory of fat distribution in bone marrow. In certain grafts of precartilage to other rats, normal differentiation into bone, cartilage, and marrow occurred, while in others cartilage and very small amounts of primitive marrow developed with slight, or no bone formation. Cartilage was always successfully engrafted. The capacity to form sinusoids in bone marrow is determined by the nature of the tissue rather than by the ingrowing endothelium.

Marrow Cellularity in Different Regions of the Guinea-Pig’s Skeleton

“…This is in agreement with conclusions reached in studies of the distribution and behaviour of the fatty marrow (6, 7). The present findings also appear to be consistent with those of H uggins and co-workers (8,10), which suggested a relationship between the degree of marrow activity and the level of marrow temperature. In this connection, it is noteworthy that the same authors (9) concluded that in the rat and rabbit, the temperature of the more central sites of the marrow was similar to that in the peritoneal cavity but there was a decrement in marrow temperature as one passed down the limbs and (in the rat) the tail; the measure ments of marrow temperature made by G igante and T orlontano (3) in the rabbit also support this conclusion.…”

Use of Osmium Tetroxide Staining with Microcomputerized Tomography to Visualize and Quantify Bone Marrow Adipose Tissue In Vivo

“…Farber, unpublished). Consistent with human findings, in 1889 Ranvier recorded the presence of a MAT gradient in the vertebrae of rats ranging from predominantly cellular, red marrow in the lumbar vertebrae to fatty, yellow marrow in the tail (Huggins & Blocksom, 1936; Ranvier, 1889). This historical finding has since been reobserved in mice and used as the basis for studies of MAT regulation of bone formation and hematopoiesis (Naveiras et al, 2009; Wronski, Smith, & Jee, 1981).…”

The Mechanical Environment of Bone Marrow: A Review

“…Marrow composition is highly affected from variations in temperature. Huggins et al [33][34][35] evidenced that the fat content of bone marrow in the limb bones (femur, radius) are higher than the bones in the central parts of the body (ribs, vertebra). This was suggested to be associated with greater body temperatures in central bones.…”