Gene expression comparison of pre-osteoblastic and mature osteoblastic cell populations from 5 week old and 8 week old mice, a comparison of cell populations within and between age groups

The aim of the study was to identify gene expression profiles that distinguished different stages of osteoblast commitment, and determine whether the same osteoblast cell populations from mice of different ages had distinguishable expression profiles that may indicate functional changes are apparent for the cell populations during different stages of skeletal development. Pre-osteoblastic and mature osteoblastic cells were isolated from collagenase digested bones from 5 week old and 8 week wild type C57BL6 mice by FACS based on Lin, Sca-1, CD51, and CD31 cell surface markers. Pre-osteoblastic and mature osteoblastic cells were isolated from collagenase digested bones from 5 week old and 8 week wild type C57BL6 mice by FACS based on Lin, Sca-1, CD51, and CD31 cell surface markers.