The success of fracture healing relies on overlapping but coordinated cellular and molecular events. Characterizing an outline of differential gene regulation throughout successful healing is essential for identifying crucial phase-specific markers and may serve as the basis for engineering these in challenging healing situations. This study analyzed the healing progression of a standard closed femoral fracture model in C57BL/6N (age = 8 weeks) wild-type male mice. The fracture callus was assessed across various days post fracture (D = days 0, 3, 7, 10, 14, 21, and 28) by microarray, with D0 serving as a control. Histological analyses were carried out on samples from D7 until D28 to support the molecular findings. Microarray analysis revealed a differential regulation of immune response, angiogenesis, ossification, extracellular matrix regulation, mitochondrial and ribosomal genes during healing. In-depth analysis showed differential regulation of mitochondrial and ribosomal genes during the initial phase of healing. Furthermore, the differential gene expression showed an essential role of Serpin Family F Member 1 over the well-known Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor in angiogenesis, especially during the inflammatory phase. The significant upregulation of matrix metalloproteinase 13 and bone sialoprotein from D3 until D21 asserts their importance in bone mineralization. The study also shows type I collagen around osteocytes located in the ossified region at the periosteal surface during the first week of healing. Histological analysis of matrix extracellular phosphoglycoprotein and extracellular signal-regulated kinase stressed their roles in bone homeostasis and the physiological bone-healing process. This study reveals previously unknown and novel candidates, that could serve as a target for specific time points in healing and to remedy cases of impaired healing.
Keywords: bioinformatics analysis; extracellular matrix; fracture healing; histology; microarray; mitochondrion; ribosome; wild-type.