Osteochondroretricular stem cells (red) are a newly identified type of bone stem cell that appears to be vital to skeletal development. Research on these stem cells may lead to treatments for osteoarthritis, osteoporosis and fractures.

Credit: Timothy C. Wang, M.D., Columbia University

This image is not owned by the NIH. It is shared with the public under license. If you have a question about using or reproducing this image, please contact the creator listed in the credits. All rights to the work remain with the original creator.

NIH support from: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)

Dr. John Cletus Paumier adjusts the foot of a patient after rolling her leg in fiberglass cast tape at the Salem Regional Medical Center on Sept. 8. In one morning, Paumier saw approximately 30 different patients, moving from room to room and assessing wounds and the healing progress of each patient quickly, going non-stop for several hours. Paumier is an orthopedic surgeon, officer in charge of the Army Reserve Marksmanship Program and command surgeon to the 416th Theater Engineer Command, headquartered in the command surgeon to the 416th Theater Engineer Command, headquartered in Darien, Illinois. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Michel Sauret)

Osteochondroretricular stem cells (red) are a newly identified type of bone stem cell that appears to be vital to skeletal development. Research on these stem cells may lead to treatments for osteoarthritis, osteoporosis and fractures.

Photographer: Timothy C. Wang, M.D., Columbia University

Dr. John Cletus Paumier bandages the hand of one patient while a boy waits to be seen in the room next door at the Salem Regional Medical Center. In one morning, Paumier saw approximately 30 different patients, moving from room to room and assessing wounds and the healing progress of each patient quickly, going non-stop for several hours. Paumier is an orthopedic surgeon, officer in charge of the Army Reserve Marksmanship Program and command surgeon to the 416th Theater Engineer Command, headquartered in the command surgeon to the 416th Theater Engineer Command, headquartered in Darien, Illinois. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Michel Sauret)

Lt. Col. John Cletus Paumier (center, facing camera) and his team perform total hip replacement surgery on a patient at the Salem Regional Medical Center in Ohio. Paumier is an orthopedic surgeon, officer in charge of the Army Reserve Marksmanship Program and command surgeon to the 416th Theater Engineer Command, headquartered in Darien, Illinois. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Michel Sauret)

Just a reminder how fragil we all are.

About two years ago i got a "burst" or splitter fracture in my lower spine that almost (ca 0,5-1cm) left me paralyzed from the waist down.

I am or rather was a fairly good snowboard rider. Started to ride about 17-18 years ago. Has been in alot of crashes and experienced maybe 20 bonefracture throughout the years. But this one was a bit special of course.

I overshooted a landing when i was riding snowboard. And smashed in the the ground with my ass/hip first from about 6-7 meters up. The worst part was that we where on a parkinglot. So the landing was perfectly horizontal with 5-10cm of powder snow and then came the asfalt, Ouch! A bright flash shooted throught my body and i lost the sensation in my left leg, and i felt a pain that is indescribable. Ambulanced to the local hospital for x-ray (this is the image) and then a helicopter transported me to the national main hospital of Sweden for surgery. Got some nice screws and plates inside me to stabilise the fracture. After 6 month and rehab i could walk pretty normal again. Today im still training so that i one day can ride snowboard again, atleast powder ride, my back cant compress that well and i have cronical pain in my lower back so no more airtime. But im all positive :)

Never underestimate gravity and kinetic energy :)

Lt. Col. John Cletus Paumier, holds a patient's femural head while conducting a total hip replacement surgery at the Salem Regional Medical Center in Ohio Sept. 10. Paumier is an orthopedic surgeon, officer in charge of the Army Reserve Marksmanship Program and command surgeon to the 416th Theater Engineer Command, headquartered in Darien, Illinois. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Michel Sauret)

Stem cells combined with parathyroid hormone (PTH) accelerated fracture healing of the spine in a mouse model. In image A, the red arrow points to a stem cell targeting a spinal bone fracture. In image B, arrows point to bone loss in two spinal bone fractures. Image C shows complete healing of spinal bone fractures eight weeks after treatment with stem cells and PTH. Mice treated with either therapy alone, or untreated, showed minimal bone repair.

Photographer: ©Dan Gazit, PhD, DMD, Director, Cedars-Sinai Skeletal Regeneration and Stem Cell Therapy Program. All rights reserved.

Skeletal muscles heal following an injury by activating satellite stem cells to generate new muscle cells. But in some diseases like muscular dystrophy, this process does not work as it should. NIAMS-funded researchers have identified a protein, the TNF receptor associated factor 6 (TRAF6), which may be key to developing new stem cell treatments for muscle wasting diseases. The left image shows extensive formation of new muscle fibers (red) following injury in a mouse muscle containing the TRAF6 protein. The image on the right is injured mouse muscle that does not contain TRAF6. It shows a marked deficit in muscle regeneration and large areas devoid of muscle fibers (white), as well as accumulations of fibrotic tissue (blue).

Photographer: Ashok Kumar Ph.D., Department of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology, University of Louisville School of Medicine

Lt. Col. John Cletus Paumier (center, facing camera) and his team perform total hip replacement surgery on a patient at the Salem Regional Medical Center in Ohio. Paumier is an orthopedic surgeon, officer in charge of the Army Reserve Marksmanship Program and command surgeon to the 416th Theater Engineer Command, headquartered in Darien, Illinois. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Michel Sauret)

Lt. Col. John Cletus Paumier (center, facing camera) and his team perform total hip replacement surgery on a patient at the Salem Regional Medical Center in Ohio. Paumier is an orthopedic surgeon, officer in charge of the Army Reserve Marksmanship Program and command surgeon to the 416th Theater Engineer Command, headquartered in Darien, Illinois. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Michel Sauret)

Lt. Col. John Cletus Paumier (center, facing camera) and his team perform total hip replacement surgery on a patient at the Salem Regional Medical Center in Ohio. Paumier is an orthopedic surgeon, officer in charge of the Army Reserve Marksmanship Program and command surgeon to the 416th Theater Engineer Command, headquartered in Darien, Illinois. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Michel Sauret)

Lt. Col. John Cletus Paumier (center, facing camera) and his team perform total hip replacement surgery on a patient at the Salem Regional Medical Center in Ohio. Paumier is an orthopedic surgeon, officer in charge of the Army Reserve Marksmanship Program and command surgeon to the 416th Theater Engineer Command, headquartered in Darien, Illinois. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Michel Sauret)

Lt. Col. John Cletus Paumier, holds a patient's femural head while conducting a total hip replacement surgery at the Salem Regional Medical Center in Ohio Sept. 10. Paumier is an orthopedic surgeon, officer in charge of the Army Reserve Marksmanship Program and command surgeon to the 416th Theater Engineer Command, headquartered in Darien, Illinois. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Michel Sauret)

Lt. Col. John Cletus Paumier is an orthopedic surgeon at Salem Regional Medical Center in Ohio, officer in charge of the Army Reserve Marksmanship Program and command surgeon to the 416th Theater Engineer Command, headquartered in Darien, Illinois. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Michel Sauret)

Lt. Col. John Cletus Paumier is an orthopedic surgeon at Salem Regional Medical Center in Ohio, officer in charge of the Army Reserve Marksmanship Program and command surgeon to the 416th Theater Engineer Command, headquartered in Darien, Illinois. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Michel Sauret)

Lt. Col. John Cletus Paumier is an orthopedic surgeon, officer in charge of the Army Reserve Marksmanship Program and command surgeon to the 416th Theater Engineer Command, headquartered in Darien, Illinois. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Michel Sauret)

Lt. Col. John Cletus Paumier is an orthopedic surgeon, officer in charge of the Army Reserve Marksmanship Program and command surgeon to the 416th Theater Engineer Command, headquartered in Darien, Illinois. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Michel Sauret)

Dr. John Cletus Paumier bandages the hand of one patient while a boy waits to be seen in the room next door at the Salem Regional Medical Center. In one morning, Paumier saw approximately 30 different patients, moving from room to room and assessing wounds and the healing progress of each patient quickly, going non-stop for several hours. Paumier is an orthopedic surgeon, officer in charge of the Army Reserve Marksmanship Program and command surgeon to the 416th Theater Engineer Command, headquartered in the command surgeon to the 416th Theater Engineer Command, headquartered in Darien, Illinois. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Michel Sauret)

Paumier is an orthopedic surgeon, officer in charge of the Army Reserve Marksmanship Program and command surgeon to the 416th Theater Engineer Command, headquartered in the command surgeon to the 416th Theater Engineer Command, headquartered in Darien, Illinois. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Michel Sauret)

Dr. John Cletus Paumier dictates notes on a patient into a phone in the midst of a busy hospital morning at the Salem Regional Medical Center on Sept. 8. In one morning, Paumier saw approximately 30 different patients, moving from room to room and assessing wounds and the healing progress of each patient quickly, going non-stop for several hours. Paumier is an orthopedic surgeon, officer in charge of the Army Reserve Marksmanship Program and command surgeon to the 416th Theater Engineer Command, headquartered in the command surgeon to the 416th Theater Engineer Command, headquartered in Darien, Illinois. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Michel Sauret)

Lt. Col. John Cletus Paumier, holds a patient's femural head while conducting a total hip replacement surgery at the Salem Regional Medical Center in Ohio Sept. 10. Paumier is an orthopedic surgeon, officer in charge of the Army Reserve Marksmanship Program and command surgeon to the 416th Theater Engineer Command, headquartered in Darien, Illinois. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Michel Sauret)

Lt. Col. John Cletus Paumier (center, facing camera) and his team perform total hip replacement surgery on a patient at the Salem Regional Medical Center in Ohio. Paumier is an orthopedic surgeon, officer in charge of the Army Reserve Marksmanship Program and command surgeon to the 416th Theater Engineer Command, headquartered in Darien, Illinois. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Michel Sauret)

Paumier is an orthopedic surgeon, officer in charge of the Army Reserve Marksmanship Program and command surgeon to the 416th Theater Engineer Command, headquartered in the command surgeon to the 416th Theater Engineer Command, headquartered in Darien, Illinois. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Michel Sauret)

Lt. Col. John Cletus Paumier is an orthopedic surgeon at Salem Regional Medical Center in Ohio, officer in charge of the Army Reserve Marksmanship Program and command surgeon to the 416th Theater Engineer Command, headquartered in Darien, Illinois. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Michel Sauret)

Lt. Col. John Paumier gives a class on rifle marksmanship instruction to a group of friends who helped build his own private 600-yard rifle which spans eight acres of land in Salem, Ohio. Paumier is an orthopedic surgeon, officer in charge of the Army Reserve Marksmanship Program and command surgeon for the 416th Theater Engineer Command, headquartered in Darien, Illinois. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Michel Sauret)

Dr. John Cletus Paumier bandages the hand of one patient while a boy waits to be seen in the room next door at the Salem Regional Medical Center. In one morning, Paumier saw approximately 30 different patients, moving from room to room and assessing wounds and the healing progress of each patient quickly, going non-stop for several hours. Paumier is an orthopedic surgeon, officer in charge of the Army Reserve Marksmanship Program and command surgeon to the 416th Theater Engineer Command, headquartered in the command surgeon to the 416th Theater Engineer Command, headquartered in Darien, Illinois. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Michel Sauret)

Lt. Col. John Cletus Paumier is an orthopedic surgeon, officer in charge of the Army Reserve Marksmanship Program and command surgeon to the 416th Theater Engineer Command, headquartered in Darien, Illinois. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Michel Sauret)

Dr. John Cletus Paumier dictates notes on a patient into a phone in the midst of a busy hospital morning at the Salem Regional Medical Center on Sept. 8. In one morning, Paumier saw approximately 30 different patients, moving from room to room and assessing wounds and the healing progress of each patient quickly, going non-stop for several hours. Paumier is an orthopedic surgeon, officer in charge of the Army Reserve Marksmanship Program and command surgeon to the 416th Theater Engineer Command, headquartered in the command surgeon to the 416th Theater Engineer Command, headquartered in Darien, Illinois. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Michel Sauret)

Lt. Col. John Cletus Paumier (center, facing camera) and his team perform total hip replacement surgery on a patient at the Salem Regional Medical Center in Ohio. Paumier is an orthopedic surgeon, officer in charge of the Army Reserve Marksmanship Program and command surgeon to the 416th Theater Engineer Command, headquartered in Darien, Illinois. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Michel Sauret)

Lt. Col. John Cletus Paumier is an orthopedic surgeon, officer in charge of the Army Reserve Marksmanship Program and command surgeon to the 416th Theater Engineer Command, headquartered in Darien, Illinois. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Michel Sauret)

A reciprocating surgery saw sits in a container among other tools while Lt. Col. John Cletus Paumier performs hip replacement therapy on a patient at the Salem Regional Medical Center in Ohio. Paumier is an orthopedic surgeon, officer in charge of the Army Reserve Marksmanship Program and command surgeon to the 416th Theater Engineer Command, headquartered in Darien, Illinois. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Michel Sauret)

(U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Michel Sauret)

Lt. Col. John Cletus Paumier (center) stands with friends who helped build his own private 600-yard rifle range in his back yard which spans eight acres in Salem, Ohio. Paumier is an orthopedic surgeon, officer in charge of the Army Reserve Marksmanship Program and command surgeon for the 416th Theater Engineer Command, headquartered in Darien, Illinois. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Michel Sauret)

Lt. Col. John Cletus Paumier is an orthopedic surgeon, officer in charge of the Army Reserve Marksmanship Program and command surgeon to the 416th Theater Engineer Command, headquartered in Darien, Illinois. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Michel Sauret)

Lt. Col. John Cletus Paumier is an orthopedic surgeon, officer in charge of the Army Reserve Marksmanship Program and command surgeon to the 416th Theater Engineer Command, headquartered in Darien, Illinois. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Michel Sauret)

(U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Michel Sauret)

Osteogenesis Imperfecta, also known as the brittle bone disease, is a genetic bone disorder that causes the bones of a fetus to be so thin and parchment-like that they are so prone to fracture. In some very fatal cases the bones fracture even in utero. The babies whom are born with osteogenesis...

7do.us/osteogenesis-imperfecta.html

"A burial found in Aztec Ruins shows knowledge of the use of splints in treatment of bone fracture. The skeleeton is that of a girl 17 to 20. Both bones of her forearm were broken. The bones had been set and six well finished wooden splints surrounded the arm. The bindings which held them in place were decayed beyond recognition. [picture removed from exhibit due to sensitivity concerns]" ~ museum display/exhibit, Aztec Ruins National Monument, Aztec, New Mexico. Driving around New Mexico - Great Pacific Northwest Move 2013. Photos from Saturday, 21 September 2013. (c) 2013 - photo by Leaf McGowan, Eadaoin Bineid, Thomas Baurley, Technogypsie Productions (www.technogypsie.com/photography/). Purchase rights and/or permissions to use can be obtained at site listed here. To follow the adventure, visit www.technogypsie.com/chronicles/. To read reviews visit www.technogypsie.com/reviews/.

Dr. John Cletus Paumier squeezes the water from a fiberglass cast tape roll as he prepares to wrap it around the leg of a patient at the Salem Regional Medical Center on Sept. 8. In one morning, Paumier saw approximately 30 different patients, moving from room to room and assessing wounds and the healing progress of each patient quickly, going non-stop for several hours. Paumier is an orthopedic surgeon, officer in charge of the Army Reserve Marksmanship Program and command surgeon to the 416th Theater Engineer Command, headquartered in the command surgeon to the 416th Theater Engineer Command, headquartered in Darien, Illinois. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Michel Sauret)

A reciprocating surgery saw sits in a container among other tools while Lt. Col. John Cletus Paumier performs hip replacement therapy on a patient at the Salem Regional Medical Center in Ohio. Paumier is an orthopedic surgeon, officer in charge of the Army Reserve Marksmanship Program and command surgeon to the 416th Theater Engineer Command, headquartered in Darien, Illinois. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Michel Sauret)

A reciprocating surgery saw sits in a container among other tools while Lt. Col. John Cletus Paumier performs hip replacement therapy on a patient at the Salem Regional Medical Center in Ohio. Paumier is an orthopedic surgeon, officer in charge of the Army Reserve Marksmanship Program and command surgeon to the 416th Theater Engineer Command, headquartered in Darien, Illinois. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Michel Sauret)

Dr. John Cletus Paumier checks the X-ray of a patient at the Salem Regional Medical Center on Sept. 8. In one morning, Paumier saw approximately 30 different patients, moving from room to room and assessing wounds and the healing progress of each patient quickly, going non-stop for several hours. Paumier is an orthopedic surgeon, officer in charge of the Army Reserve Marksmanship Program and command surgeon to the 416th Theater Engineer Command, headquartered in the command surgeon to the 416th Theater Engineer Command, headquartered in Darien, Illinois. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Michel Sauret)

Lt. Col. John Cletus Paumier is an orthopedic surgeon, officer in charge of the Army Reserve Marksmanship Program and command surgeon to the 416th Theater Engineer Command, headquartered in Darien, Illinois. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Michel Sauret)

Lt. Col. John Cletus Paumier calls out range control instructions in the pits of his privately-owned 600-yard rifle range which spans eight acres in Salem, Ohio. Paumier is an orthopedic surgeon, officer in charge of the Army Reserve Marksmanship Program and command surgeon for the 416th Theater Engineer Command, headquartered in Darien, Illinois. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Michel Sauret)

Dr. John Cletus Paumier walks the hall of the cast room wing after seeing a patient at the Salem Regional Medical Center on Sept. 8. In one morning, Paumier saw approximately 30 different patients, moving from room to room and assessing wounds and the healing progress of each patient quickly, going non-stop for several hours. Paumier is an orthopedic surgeon, officer in charge of the Army Reserve Marksmanship Program and command surgeon to the 416th Theater Engineer Command, headquartered in the command surgeon to the 416th Theater Engineer Command, headquartered in Darien, Illinois. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Michel Sauret)

A patient waits while Dr. John Cletus Paumier checks his medical notes at the Salem Regional Medical Center on Sept. 8. In one morning, Paumier saw approximately 30 different patients, moving from room to room and assessing wounds and the healing progress of each patient quickly, going non-stop for several hours. Paumier is an orthopedic surgeon, officer in charge of the Army Reserve Marksmanship Program and command surgeon to the 416th Theater Engineer Command, headquartered in the command surgeon to the 416th Theater Engineer Command, headquartered in Darien, Illinois. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Michel Sauret)

Stacks of patient records fill the medical practice office of Lt. Col. John Cletus Paumier, an orthopedic surgeon in Salem, Ohio, who is also the officer in charge of the Army Reserve Marksmanship Program and command surgeon to the 416th Theater Engineer Command, headquartered in Darien, Illinois. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Michel Sauret)

A scope shows the target 200 yards away while Lt. Col. John Cletus Paumier takes aim from a kneeling position on his own private 600-yard rifle range built in his back yard which spans eight acres in Salem, Ohio. Paumier is an orthopedic surgeon, officer in charge of the Army Reserve Marksmanship Program and command surgeon for the 416th Theater Engineer Command, headquartered in Darien, Illinois. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Michel Sauret)