Itai A. Bab - Böcker

At the present time, the laboratory mouse has become a central tool for skeletal studies, mainly because of the extensive use of genetic manipulations in this species. Naturally, this widespread use of mice in developmental, bone, joint, tooth, and neurological research calls for detailed anatomical knowledge of the mouse skeleton as a reference for experimental design and phenotyping under a variety of experimental conditions, including genetic manipulations (e.g., transgenic and kno- out mice). Several general treatises on the normal anatomy of the mouse and rat have been published in the previous century. In the absence of adequate technologies, these books describe only the external anatomical features of the different parts of the skeleton. In general, images in these atlases are camera lucida-based line drawings rather than accurate three-dimensional images. Furthermore, so far a systematic two- and three-dimensional description of the internal anatomy of bones, as well as the three-dimensional relationship exhibited in joints, are not available.

Principles of Bone Regeneration is a timely publication that addresses the modern aspects of bone healing and repair. This exciting new volume details the convergence of the different experimental and clinical approaches designed for the study and treatment of bone healing in its diverse forms and under varying conditions. Bone healing is affected by a multitude of genetic, environmental, mechanical, cellular and endocrine variables which eventually lead to changes in gene expression that enhance the guided action of osteoblasts (and chondroblasts) to lay down bone that restores, or even improves, the skeletal load bearing capacity. Recent breakthroughs in understanding the regulatory aspects of bone formation and resorption, in both research and clinical arenas offer new modalities to induce, enhances and guide repair processes in bone for the benefit of millions of patients with conditions such as nonunion fractures, critical size defects, orthodontic tooth movement, periodontal bone loss, intraosseous implants and deformed bones.

Naturally, this widespread use of mice in developmental, bone, joint, tooth, and neurological research calls for detailed anatomical knowledge of the mouse skeleton as a reference for experimental design and phenotyping under a variety of experimental conditions, including genetic manipulations (e.g., transgenic and kno- out mice).