An effective histological staining process to visualize bone interstitial fluid space using confocal microscopy

Bone. 2009 May;44(5):1015-7. doi: 10.1016/j.bone.2009.01.376. Epub 2009 Feb 5.

Abstract

Bone is a composite porous material with two functional levels of porosity: the vascular porosity that surrounds blood vessels and the lacunar-canalicular porosity that surrounds the osteocytes. Both the vascular porosity and lacunar-canalicular porosity are directly involved in interstitial fluid flow, thought to play an important role in bone's maintenance. Because of the small dimensions of the lacunar-canalicular porosity, interstitial fluid space has been difficult to visualize and quantify. We report a new staining protocol that is reliable and easily reproducible, using fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) as a probe visualized by confocal microscopy. Reconstructed FITC-stained cross sections enable effective visualization of bone microstructure and microporosities. This new staining process can be used to analyze interstitial fluid space, providing high-resolution quantification of the vascular pores and the lacunar-canalicular network of cortical and cancellous bone.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Extracellular Fluid / metabolism*
  • Male
  • Microscopy, Confocal / methods*
  • Osteocytes / cytology*
  • Osteocytes / metabolism*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley