Figure 3: Both plastic and paraffin embedded lumbar vertebrae sections demonstrate reduced trabecular bone formation rate (BFR) in colitis compared to control mice.

L3/L4 or L5/L6 vertebrae sets were obtained from all mice and were randomly divided between the standard protocol for plastic processing or the protocol for paraffin processing. Slides were examined at 20X magnification with conditions blinded. (a) Representative digital image of a paraffin embedded transverse section of the L3 vertebral body demonstrating regions of trabecular bone formation. Digital images were used to measure vertebral trabecular bone formation rate (BFR, b) and bone mineral apposition rate (MAR, c). An average of more than 300 μm of bone surface was examined per bone. Pearson’s correlation plots of paraffin compared to plastic BFR (d) and MAR (e) measures are included; R², r and p values are noted in the plots. Values are averages ± SE. n = 9 for all conditions except for plastic disease which has n = 6 (3 samples had MAR values of 0 and were not included in the data set). *p ≤ 0.05 by one way ANOVA.