Biomechanical study of long bones and vertebrae in rhesus monkeys

Tianxiu WU; Jinmin LIAO; Wenbe LI; Yan CHEN; Lianfang HUANG; Ren HUANG; Liao CUI

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:

The mechanical properties of monkeys are the closest to the human body.Monkey is the ideal animal model of osteoporosis research.

OBJECTIVE:

To explore the biomechanical properties of the long bones and vertebrae in rhesus monkeys.DESIGN.TIME AND

SETTING:

The mechanics experiment for the study was based on monkeys,which was completed in the South Medical University,Key Laboratory of Medical Biomechanics in Octobor 2006.MATERIALSFour male macaca mulattas aged 17.5 years on average and three female crab-eating monkeys aged 9 years on average.

METHODS:

Long bones(femur,tibia,fibula,humerus,radius and ulna)and the third and fourth lumbar vertebrae of three adult crab-eating monkeys and four old macaca mulattes were teken to do four-point bending test,torsion test,indentation test and compression test respectively.MAIN OUTCOME

MEASURES:

①The results of compression experiments and indentation experiments in monkey vertebrae.②The maximum load and the rigidity factor in left side of long bone of monkeys.③The maximum torque(N·m)in the right side of long bone of monkeys.

RESULTS:

①In the four-point bending tests,the maximum Ioad of the left ulna,fibula,humerus,femur,tibia and radius in macaca mulattas were(574.16±163.53),(179.98±38.32),(1487.9±965.12),(1928.60±336.23),(1303.23±969.35),(559.92±1.12)N,respectively.While the rigidity factor of the left femur,tibia,fibula,humerus,radius and ulna in macaca mulattas were (53.49±14.22),(28.41±5.86),(114.22±13.24),(142.16±18.56).(101.11±15.46),(69.13±5.54)N/mm,respectively.The maximum load of the left femur,tibia.fibula,humerus,radius and ulna in crab-eating monkeys were(179.93±19.38),(53.82±5.31),(631.61±225.81),(726.07±245.69),(424.52±49.s0),(1 91.97±67.73)N,respectively;however,the rigidity factor of the left femur,tibia,fibula,humerus,radius and ulna in crab-eating monkeys were(21.45±2.63),(16.25±6.66),(68.5±12.22),(76.79±14.01),(41.80±2.79),(64.31±15.89)N/mm,respectively.②In the torsion test,the maximum torque of the right fibula,humerus,femur and tibia in macaca mulattas were(1.55±0.82),(22.26±4.26),(30.93±6.54),(17.49±4.04)N·m,respectively.The maximum torqua of the right fibula,humerus,femur,tibia in crab-eating monkeys were(0.81±0.15),(10.34±2.06),(11.58±0.76),(6.68±1.34)N·m,respectively;③In the compression test,the maximal compression load and the rigidity factor of L4 in macaca mulattas were (2811.21±403.90)N,and(69.47±8.92)N/mm,respectively;the maximal compression load and the rigidity factor of L4 in crab-eating monkeys were(1659.90±339.08)N,and(36.29±6.61)N/mm,respectively.④In the indentation test,the maximal indentation and the maximal anti-pressure of L_3 in macaca mulattas were(521.90±38.94)N,and(699.16±43.46)MPa,respectively;the maximal indentation and the maximal anti-pressure of L_3 in crab-eating monkeys were(614±145.94)N,and (815.92±193.69)MPa,respectively.

CONCLUSION:

Experimental data derived from the experiments demonstrated that rhesus monkeys as a kind of nonhuman primate animals have an important reference value in the animal studies of osteoporosis.