Figure 5
From: Smoking cessation increases levels of osteocalcin and uncarboxylated osteocalcin in human sera
Nicotine administration stimulates osteoclastogenesis in mice. (a,b) Eight-week-old wild-type female mice were administered nicotine or PBS vehicle (control) for 3 weeks and then bone mineral density of femurs divided equally longitudinally was evaluated. Data represent mean BMD ± S.D. (NS, not significant; control, n = 4; nicotine, n = 5). (c–f) Eight-week-old wild-type female mice were administered nicotine or PBS vehicle (control) for 3 weeks and then tibial bone sections were stained with TRAP (c) or toluidine blue (e). The number of osteoclasts per bone perimeter (N.Oc/B.Pm) (d) or the number of osteoblasts per bone perimeter (N.Ob/B.Pm) (f) were then evaluated. Data represent mean N.Oc/B.Pm or N.Ob/B.Pm ± S.D (*p < 0.05; control, n = 4; nicotine, n = 5). Representative data of two independent experiments are shown. Bars = 100 μm.
