Trabecular bone ontogeny of the human talus

Abstract

Studies of trabecular ontogeny may provide insight into the factors that drive healthy bone development. There is a growing understanding of how the juvenile skeleton responds to these influences; however, gaps in our knowledge remain. This study aims to identify ontogenetic trabecular patterns and regional changes during development within the juvenile talus. This may provide further insight into how the talus adapts to changing biomechanical influences during development. Thirty-six tali ranging in age from 28 intrauterine weeks to 14 postnatal years of age from the Scheuer Juvenile Collection were examined using micro-computed tomography. Trabecular bone was analyzed using a volume of interest approach in addition to whole bone mapping. Trabecular development of the talus followed previously reported ontogenetic trabecular patterns. Fetal, perinatal, and early infant trabecular structure appeared to be dictated by ossification and vascular patterns, whilst after 1 year of age trabeculae adapted to the bipedal gait. This trabecular organization continued to mature until 8 years of age, after which only trabecular thickness and bone volume fraction increased. The fetal, perinatal, and early infant trabecular structure may be mainly driven by genetic programming. With loading of the talus associated with the attainment of bipedal gait at approximately 1 year of age, the trabecular architecture appears to adapt to facilitate these forces. The most substantial changes occur between approximately 1–8 years of age, after which changes appear to be driven by an increase in loading associated with growth. Despite this, there are still some changes, in regions such as the posterior subtalar facet, after 8 years that signal continued maturation of the bipedal gait.