Role of Peripheral Nerve Injury and Blood-nerve Barrier in HO

Our lab’s previous studies have demonstrated that osteogenic progenitors that contribute to HO are housed in the endoneurium in a mouse model. The results of our studies in larger animals such as rats have indicated that a similar model to induce bone with BMP2-producing cells does not produce the same results.

We have hypothesized that this could be due to the more sophisticated peripheral nervous system in higher order species, which possess multi-fascicled nerves and a complex blood-nerve barrier.

We are currently testing whether a mechanical or chemical opening of this barrier contributes to the formation of bone in BMP2-induced neurogenic HO.