Description
In this presentation, Sandra Shefelbine discusses the impact of mechanical forces on bone development and joint morphology, focusing on how bone shape changes throughout life stages, particularly during growth and aging. Emphasizing the importance of mechanical loading, the talk particularly targets how elbow flexion influences the shape of the elbow joint starting from the in utero phase, where joints begin forming from limb buds. She introduces the use of the Mexican axolotl as a model organism due to its unique regenerative capabilities, allowing researchers to study joint formation after limb amputation.
Shefelbine explains the significance of hydrostatic pressure as a mechanical stimulus during joint development, referring to experiments that show how restricting this pressure leads to alterations in joint morphology, like smaller epicondyles and reduced cell proliferation in developing joints. Utilizing imaging techniques and computational modeling, she highlights the relationships between joint motion, cell response, and mechanical cues that shape bone structure. The results underscore the contribution of hydrostatic pressure to joint formation and propose that such mechanical influences are fundamental to understanding developmental biology.
She concludes by acknowledging her research team, collaborators, and funding sources and expresses her hope of advancing the understanding of molecular mechanisms in joint development, which will further explore the intersection of mechanics and biology.