College
Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences (BCAS)
Date of Last Revision
2023-05-03 18:04:53
Major
Biology
Honors Course
3100:499
Number of Credits
3
Degree Name
Bachelor of Science
Date of Expected Graduation
Fall 2019
Abstract
Bats have humeri and femora that are poorly vascularized or avascular compared to birds, with only larger bats typically displaying vascular canals. Vascular canals provide passageways for blood vessels and nerves, which help maintain bone homeostasis, and support bones by resisting torsional stresses placed on them. The presence of a greater number of canals in large bats suggests that they may have a larger need for the support of nutrient and waste exchange than their dense lacunar-canalicular system can provide on its own. The focus of the current project will be to analyze SR micro-CT data from various bat humeri and femora obtained by Pratt in order to examine differences between the patterns of vascularity within bones of small and large bodied bats.The potential benefit of this project is an increased understanding of the vascular networks of bats and how it may support bone homeostasis. The primary research objective is to determine whether small bodied bats and large bodied bats have similar regional patterns of vascularity in their humeri and/or femora. It is hypothesized that: 1) large bodied bats will possess greater vascularity than small bodied bats, and 2) humeri will be more highly vascularized than femora.
Research Sponsor
Dr. Janna Andronowski
First Reader
Dr. Henry Astley
Second Reader
Dr. Lisa Cooper
Honors Faculty Advisor
Dr. Brian Bagatto
Recommended Citation
Usher, Logan, "Regional Patterns of Vascularity within the Limb Bones of Small and Large-bodied Bats" (2019). Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects. 1015.
https://ideaexchange.uakron.edu/honors_research_projects/1015