Objective：To assess the effects of immobilization on the three-dimensional microstructure of cortical and cancellous bone.

Methods：Eight-week-old specific-pathogen-free Wistar rats were divided into two groups：the control (n＝12) and immobilized group (n＝12). The hind limbs of the rats in the immobilized group were fixed using orthopedic casts for 4 weeks. The cortical bone at the mid-shaft and the cancellous bone at the distal metaphysis of the femur were analyzed using micro-computed tomography.

Results：The values of total cross-sectional area, cortical bone area, and cortical thickness in the immobilized group were significantly lower than those in the control group. Meanwhile, the relative bone volume (bone volume/total volume) and mean trabecular thickness in the immobilized group decreased and the structure model index significantly increased compared with the values in the control group (P＜0.05).

Conclusion：Our rat model can evaluate the effects of load-permitting immobilization. The results of this study indicate that structural changes in immobilized osteopenia-affected bone arise mainly from thinning of the cortex and reduction of cancellous bone volume caused by a reduction of trabecular width.

STUDY DESIGN: We established induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and neural stem/progenitor cells (NSPCs) from three newborns with spina bifida aperta (SBa) using clinically practical methods. PURPOSE: We aimed to develop stem cell lines derived from newborns with SBa for future therapeutic use. OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: SBa is a common congenital spinal cord abnormality that causes defects in neurological and urological functions. Stem cell transplantation therapies are predicted to provide beneficial effects for patients with SBa. However, the availability of appropriate cell sources is inadequate for clinical use because of their limited accessibility and expandability, as well as ethical issues. METHODS: Fibroblast cultures were established from small fragments of skin obtained from newborns with SBa during SBa repair surgery. The cultured cells were transfected with episomal plasmid vectors encoding reprogramming factors necessary for generating iPSCs. These cells were then differentiated into NSPCs by chemical compound treatment, and NSPCs were expanded using neurosphere technology. RESULTS: We successfully generated iPSC lines from the neonatal dermal fibroblasts of three newborns with SBa. We confirmed that these lines exhibited the characteristics of human pluripotent stem cells. We successfully generated NSPCs from all SBa newborn-derived iPSCs with a combination of neural induction and neurosphere technology. CONCLUSIONS: We successfully generated iPSCs and iPSC-NSPCs from surgical samples obtained from newborns with SBa with the goal of future clinical use in patients with SBa.
Cells, Cultured ; Ethics ; Fibroblasts ; Humans ; Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells* ; Infant, Newborn* ; Meningomyelocele ; Plasmids ; Pluripotent Stem Cells ; Regenerative Medicine ; Skin ; Spina Bifida Cystica* ; Spinal Cord ; Spinal Dysraphism* ; Stem Cell Transplantation ; Stem Cells