Work Package 2 - Internal Structures


WP2 and WP3 are two complementary work packages that investigate biomechanical consequences on oontogenetically-related changes in the limb/tarsal bones in association with the different functional constraints (wild cross sectional control, penned free range mobility and indoor reduced mobility).

WP2 will investigate the internal morpho-structural properties of the cortical and trabecular bone while WP3 will consider the external functional morphology of the appendicular bones.

WP2 will focus on the bone cortical growth induced by the orderly and progressive process of shape readjustment by modelling and remodelling. Ontogenetically-related changes in cortical bone strength become site-specifically adapted to local and more distant mechanical forces by the selective and strategic distribution of cortical bone. Growth in cortical bones will be assessed by means of cross-sectional geometric properties (CSG) and morphometric maps of the ontogenetic series collected from the experiment. The statistics of these properties will be compared across the different locomotion regimes and throughout the ontogenetic series. In order to visualize, quantify and compare easily the fine variations recorded in the internal bone structure, we will use an original technique of morphometric mapping.