Comparison of the Effect of Resistance-Endurance Training on the Number of Osteocyte, Osteoblast, and Osteoclast Cells in Femur Bone Tissue in Adult, Child, and Elderly Male Rats

Although exercise is known as an effective factor in maintaining and improving bone strength; it is not clear that its effects on bone-forming and bone-eating cells of different age groups are the same. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of resistance-endurance training on the number of osteocyte, osteoblast, and osteoclast cells in femur bone tissue in male rats of different ages.

In the present study, 30 male Wistar rats in three age groups of 2 weeks, 6 weeks, and 96 weeks were randomly divided into 2 groups of 5 each, training and control. Resistance-endurance exercises were performed for 6 training sessions per week for 6 weeks. Rats were sacrificed under carbon dioxide gas. H&E staining was used for tissue microscopic examination.

The results of one-way analysis of variance with Tukey's post hoc test showed that higher amounts of osteoblast and osteocyte cells and lower amounts of osteoclast cells in trained rats of all three age groups were significant compared to their control group. The comparison of exercise groups showed that the number of osteoblasts in the child and adult groups, the number of osteocytes in the adult group, and the number of osteoclasts in the adult and elderly groups were higher.

The results showed that resistance-endurance training led to an increase in bone-forming cells and a decrease in bone-eating cells. However, the effects of exercise on bone formation in younger age groups were more than in old age. Nevertheless, the prevention of exercise from the process of bone loss in older age, especially old age, was evident.