The Effect of Changes in Oxygen Tension during Fracture Repair on Mesenchymal Stem Cell and Bone Activities

Fracture healing is a complex physiological process that results in regenerative of bone. This study looks in greater detail into the effect of oxygen tension, one of the multiple parameters that successful fracture healing depends on. A summary of the biology of bone and bone repair is described before delving into the effect of oxygen tension on fracture healing. The preponderance of evidence appears to suggest that hypoxia taken in isolation promotes the up regulation of several signalling molecules involved in the fracture repair cascade in In vitro studies by many cells especially osteoblasts, however there is some suggestion to the contrary. The influence of oxygen tens ion on fracture healing will continue to be investigated especially how HIF-1 affects the various cells responsible for this regenerative process.