Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

A new study, published in eLife, uses advanced tissue analysis technology to show how the incorporation of new proteins changes in bone and cartilage with age.

View through bone

During ageing, cellular and physiological processes naturally decline and this is a particular problem in collagen-rich tissues such as the articular cartilage and bone, where tissue turnover is low and repair of the tissue is reduced with age. Reduced repair capacity increases the risk of common age-related diseases such as osteoarthritis (OA), non-union after bone fracture, and osteoporosis.

Protein studies have previously indicated levels of protein in a tissue at any given time, but are unable to provide information on how much is being newly synthesised and incorporated into the tissue. A new study, published in ELife,  uses a new methodology that gives researchers the ability to examine protein synthesis in situ, providing details of activity in the tissues under normal physiological conditions at different ages.

The tissues in the cartilage, bone and skin are made up of an extracellular matrix (ECM), which is a dynamic network composed of collagens and proteins, and collectively known as the matrisome.

The research team at the Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology used an in vivo technique called pulsed SILAC labelling in healthy mice to show changes in the synthesis of proteins of the matrisome over three stages of life: during maximum skeletal growth, and at young, and older adulthood.

Read the full story on the Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology & Musculoskeletal Sciences website

Similar stories

300 companies created by the University of Oxford

The University of Oxford has reached the milestone of creating 300 companies based on research and ideas from students, staff and alumni.

What’s your sound barrier? New study finds nearly one in five people in the UK find everyday sounds intolerable

Researchers from King’s College London and University of Oxford have shown that 18.4 per cent of the general UK population report that certain sounds, such as loud chewing, and repetitive sniffing, cause a significant problem in their lives. The condition is known as misophonia.

Misophonia: nearly one in five UK adults have the condition causing extreme reactions to certain sounds

Many of us have sounds that we find to be annoying. But for some people, certain sounds actually trigger extreme reactions.

Any type of hormonal contraceptive may increase risk of breast cancer

An analysis of data by researchers at the Nuffield Department of Population Health’s Cancer Epidemiology Unit has shown that use of progestogen-only hormonal contraceptives is associated with a 20-30% higher risk of breast cancer. The results are published in PLOS Medicine.

Viewing self-harm images on the internet and in social media usually causes harm, according to new review

Clinical researchers have reviewed the international research evidence regarding the impact of viewing images of self-harm on the internet and in social media.