Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering Commons^™

Lipids Affect The Diffusion Of Estradiol In Osteonal Bone, Nicholas Anthony Cimino

ETD Archive

In healthy osteonal bone, embedded osteocytes form an intercellular communication network through overlapping cell membrane extensions, possibly defining an overlooked and clinically relevant lipid-mediated transport pathway for nonpolar molecules. Previous techniques evaluating solute transport in cortical bone limit tissue analysis to microscale areas (less than 1 mm2) using tracers and assumptions that diminish clinical relevance, presenting the need for an improved method to evaluate solute diffusion in macroscale areas (greater than 1 mm2) of osteonal bone. A new diffusion system - constructed of glass and polytetrafluoroethylene - was designed and validated for this purpose, exhibiting minimal adsorption of solutes and …