New mechanism helps bone cells regenerate in fractures

As a result, the bone cells started increasing the storage of an emergency fuel in the form of glycogen, which is in fact a sugar reservoir.

In addition, the bone cells also started using glutamine -- an amino acid -- to produce more antioxidants to neutralise the increased production of harmful oxygen radicals.

"These two adjustments allow bone cells to be self-supporting in terms of energy generation and to protect themselves against an increased level of oxygen radicals," Steve Stegen, doctoral student.

The study, published in the journal Cell Metabolism, showed that often, only 30 percent of the implanted bone cells survived the first few days. A major reason being that the blood vessels around the fracture, which deliver oxygen and nutrients to the cells, are starved for lack of oxygen and nutrients.

"The starved bone cells produce harmful oxygen radicals and thereby disturb the natural balance between antioxidants and oxygen radicals. An excess of these oxygen radicals causes irreversible cell damage," Carmeliet added.

Researchers tested in mice as to how they could better equip the bone cells for the crucial stage between implantation and ingrowth of the blood vessels, where the ingrowth of new blood vessels into the implant takes time and until then, the cells are out of fuel since oxygen and nutrient supply is insufficient, leading to the death of bone cells.