Evaluating Trabecular and Cortical Bone in Mice

To evaluate trabecular architecture and cortical bone geometry of the tibia from control and DSS-treated mice, we used a µCT system (SKYscan 1172 X-ray microtomograph, Bruker Corporation, Kontich, Belgium) as described previously (Dobie et al., 2014 (link)). In brief, high-resolution scans with an isotropic voxel size of 5 µm (trabecular bone) or 10 µm (cortical bone) were acquired (60 kV, 0.5 mm aluminium filter, 0.6° rotation angle). Two images were averaged at each rotation angle. Scan reconstruction was done using NRecon software (Bruker). A 1 mm section of the metaphysis was taken for the analysis of trabecular bone, using the base of the growth plate as a standard reference point. A 500 µm section of the mid-shaft was taken for the analysis of cortical bone, using the articulation with the fibula as a standard reference point. CTAn software (Bruker) was used to analyze the appropriate parameters (Bouxsein et al., 2010 (link)).