Disease relevance of Metacarpal Bones

• Split-hand/split-foot malformation (SHFM), a limb malformation involving the central rays of the autopod and presenting with syndactyly, median clefts of the hands and feet, and aplasia and/or hypoplasia of the phalanges, metacarpals, and metatarsals, is phenotypically analogous to the naturally occurring murine Dactylaplasia mutant (Dac) [1].
• We report on a young man with a syndrome of mental retardation, abnormalities of the brain, sensorineural deafness, hypospadias, bilateral synostosis of the 4th and 5th metacarpals and metatarsals, and abnormal dermatoglyphics [2].
• Oral-facial-digital syndrome with Y-shaped fourth metacarpals and endocardial cushion defect [3].

High impact information on Metacarpal Bones

• Turner syndrome is characterized by short stature and is frequently associated with a variable spectrum of somatic features including ovarian failure, heart and renal abnormalities, micrognathia, cubitus valgus, high-arched palate, short metacarpals and Madelung deformity [4].
• Expression of MMP-9 was also observed in in vivo osteoclasts in metacarpal bones of newborn rabbits by in situ hybridization [5].
• 17beta-estradiol, however, inhibited significantly the PTH-stimulated resorption of osteoclast-free metacarpals cultured together with mouse fetal liver as a source of early osteoclast progenitors; basal resorption was also not inhibited in this system [6].
• In metacarpals of older fetuses (18- and 19-day-old) in which the mineralized cartilage has been invaded by mature osteoclasts, the inhibition of resorption by LIF (1000 U/ml) was 87.9 and 74.7%, respectively, the latter being significantly less than the inhibition observed in 17-day-old metacarpal cultures [7].
• In addition, LIF was found to inhibit growth, mineralization, and alkaline phosphatase activity in metacarpals independently of osteoclastic resorption [7].

Biological context of Metacarpal Bones

• The present study was designed to determine bone density modifications at the forearm and metacarpal bones in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) [8].
• The comparative analysis of the girl's phenotype in different developmental stages has revealed that microcephaly, flat occipital region, face asymmetry, wide spaced palpebral fissures, epicanthic folds, small mouth fissure, thin mucous lip, small and low set ears and short IV metacarpals has not changed with advancing age [9].

Anatomical context of Metacarpal Bones

• The effects of testosterone on the epiphyseal growth plate of metacarpal bones of growing sheep were evaluated in 20 rams, 20 wethers, and 20 wethers receiving subcutaneous testosterone replacement therapy [10].
• In addition, individuals with TRPS generally share skeletal and bone anomalies, including shortening of the phalanges and metacarpals (mild to severe brachydactyly), cone-shaped epiphyses, hip dysplasia, and short stature [11].
• There was no statistically significant difference in loading the wrist with comparable weights through the second and third metacarpals, through all five metacarpals, or through weights suspended from the wrist flexor and extensor tendons [12].
• Sensorineural deafness, abnormal genitalia, synostosis of metacarpals and metatarsals 4 and 5, and mental retardation: description of a second patient and exclusion of HOXD13 [13].

Associations of Metacarpal Bones with chemical compounds

• In vitro, when tested in osteoclast precursor-dependent systems (fetal mouse metacarpals and a coculture system), EB-1053 suppressed 45Ca release effectively and was found to be about 10 times more potent than pamidronate (ED50 = 2.5 x 10(-7) versus 2.5 x 10(-6) M, respectively) [14].
• The effect on cortical bone loss of treating elderly women with 15,000 IU vitamin D2 weekly was evaluated by sequential radiographic morphometry of the metacarpals [15].
• However, receptive fields with a focus on the ventral side of either the metacarpals, the wrist or the forearm were found only in the medial part of the C3 zone [16].
• The most characteristic radiographic signs are incomplete ossification of the vertebral bodies with coronal clefts of the lumbar and hypoplasia of the upper thoracic vertebral bodies, a distal hypoplasia and club shape of the humerus and the femur, and the lack of ossification of single phalanges and metacarpals in most patients [17].
• Uptake of 99mTc pyrophosphate was measured in the midthird of the radius, ulna femur and metacarpal bones of 22 men with rheumatoid arthritis and 18 control subjects [18].

Gene context of Metacarpal Bones

• These findings suggest that haploinsufficiency of SHOX causes not only short stature but also Turner skeletal anomalies (such as short 4th metacarpals, cubitus valgus, and LWD) and that growth pattern is primarily dependent on the presence or absence of LWD [19].
• Significant IL-6 activity was also detected in media of cultures of 17-day-old fetal mouse radii and metacarpals which was clearly stimulated by PTH [20].
• However, a tPA-mutant missing the growth-factor-like domain of the molecule, failed to stimulate 45Ca-release from the metacarpals [21].
• Leukemia inhibitory factor inhibits osteoclastic resorption, growth, mineralization, and alkaline phosphatase activity in fetal mouse metacarpal bones in culture [7].
• Overall, bone length median values revealed shortening below -2 SDS in all metacarpals and all distal phalanges, i.e. brachymetacarpia and brachytelephalangy, that cluster together [22].

Analytical, diagnostic and therapeutic context of Metacarpal Bones

• It is concluded that during growth in width the metacarpals move away from the midline of the hand and that growth occurs through eccentric bone apposition rather than through soft tissue expansion [23].

References