RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Structure-Function Relationships of the Vertebral Endplate
JF bioRxiv
FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
SP 2021.05.14.444250
DO 10.1101/2021.05.14.444250
A1 Yuanqiao Wu
A1 Johnfredy Loaiza
A1 Rohin Banerji
A1 Olivia Blouin
A1 Elise F. Morgan
YR 2021
UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2021/05/17/2021.05.14.444250.abstract
AB Background Although deformation and fracture of the vertebral endplate have been implicated in spinal conditions such as vertebral fracture and disc degeneration, few biomechanical studies of this structure are available. The goal of this study was to quantify the mechanical behavior of the vertebral endplate.Methods Eight-five rectangular specimens were dissected from the superior and/or inferior central endplates of human lumbar spine segments L1-L4. Micro-computed tomography (μCT) imaging, four-point-bend testing, and ashing were performed to quantify the apparent elastic modulus and yield stress (modulus and yield stress, respectively, of the porous vertebral endplate), tissue yield stress (yield stress of the tissue of the vertebral endplate, excluding pores), ultimate strain, fracture strain, bone volume fraction (BV/TV), bone mineral density (BMD), and various measures of tissue density and composition (tissue mineral density, ash fraction, and ash density). Regression was used to assess the dependence of mechanical properties on density and composition.Results Wide variations in elastic and failure properties, and in density and tissue composition, were observed. BMD and BV/TV were good predictors of many of the apparent-level mechanical properties, including modulus, yield stress, and in the case of the inferior vertebral endplate, failure strains. Similar values of the mechanical properties were noted between superior and inferior vertebral endplates. In contrast to the dependence of apparent stiffness and strength on BMD and BV/TV, none of the mechanical properties depended on any of the tissue-level density measurements.Conclusion The dependence of many of the mechanical properties of the vertebral endplate on BV/TV and BMD suggests possibilities for non-invasive assessment of how this region of the spine behaves during habitual and injurious loading. Further study of the non-mineral components of the endplate tissue is required to understand how the composition of this tissue may influence the overall mechanical behavior of the vertebral endplate.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.