
Research Unit "Regeneration in aged"
The Research Unit 2165 Regeneration in Aged Individuals: Using Bone Healing as a Model System to Characterise Regeneration under Compromised Conditions aims to understand the basic mechanisms that impede the otherwise effective healing process along the two pathways of early immune response and restoration of mechanical competence through aging.
You are here:
Project 6 - Principal Investgators
CRC 1444 Representative of all non‐university partner institutions, Subproject 12 | RU 2165 Subproject 6

CRC 1444 Deputy Scientific Coordinator & Implementation of 3R principles, Subprojects 1 & 12 | RU 2165 Subprojects 5 & 6

Nutrition, aging and marrow adipose tissue in bone maintenance and regeneration

Adipocyte-enriched yellow bone marrow develops during aging and obesity, among other metabolic disorders. It is thought to contribute to dysfunctional bone homeostasis and attenuated bone tissue repair. At the same time, aging and obesity are accompanied by a low-grade systemic inflammation (‘Inflamm-Aging’) and release of cytokines by local adipocytic cells. Together, these two factors are well-known negative regulators of bone healing. The aim of this project is to investigate the regulatory mechanisms driving marrow adipogenesis and its regulation of bone tissue repair. It is hypothesized that different physiological stimuli, such as diet-composition and different immune cell types, promote the accumulation of potentially beneficial and/or pathological types of marrow-resident adipocytes. The potential association of marrow-adipose tissue with reduced bone quality and impaired bone healing and its preferential occurrence in obese and aged individuals emphasizes the necessity to further investigate the relationship of metabolic pathologies and bone regeneration.
Publications
- Authors:Schulz, T. J.; Schmidt-Bleek, K.
Journal:Adipositas - Ursachen, Folgeerkrankungen, Therapie Year:2019; Volume:13Issue:(01):Pages:28-34.
Title:Knochenfett: Pathophysiologische Wechselwirkungen mit dem Metabolischen Syndrom. (Bone marrow adipose tissue: pathophysiological interactions with the metabolic syndrome).