Bone is a dynamic tissue which is actively remodelled throughout life. It relies upon a constant blood supply for the provision of oxygen and nutrients. The cortex or outer shell of most of our bones is perforated by an interconnected network of vascular canals and bone cell survival depends on the proximity to this vascular network. Recent evidence has emerged that low bone mass, deterioration of bone tissue and disruption of bone microarchitecture in osteoporosis may be driven by reduced angiogenic signals and vascular supply. A thorough investigation of this hypothesis is currently limited by challenges related to imaging of the bone vascular network, which is deeply enclosed in mineralised bone tissue.

The goal of this study was to assess local distribution of vascular intracortical canals in the murine tibia-fibula junction and quantify changes with age.