ARE LINES OF ARRESTED GROWTH IN BONE INDICATIVE OF SEASONAL METABOLIC SUPPRESSION IN BEARS? Large hibernators such as bears have seasonal metabolic suppression, hibernation (Tøien et al. 2012). During hibernation bear's activity is very low; to the point most other animals would exhibit disuse bone resorption. However bears do not exhibit disuse bone resorption during this time (McGee-Lawrence et al. 2008). Are lines of arrested growth (LAGs) in bone indicative of seasonal metabolic suppression

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... in bears? Through the use of toluidine blue stain light microscopy slides and backscattered scanning electron microscopy images (SEM), LAGs were counted and correlated with age. LAGs have a strong correlation with age. This is indicative of LAGs formation once per year, during set hibernation cycles. LAGs are metabolic markers, in bears with set hibernation cycles. These metabolic markers could be used to identify the specific time in which there is metabolic suppression, in bears. This identification could be used in the future to track blood serum and other chemical markers in an attempt to understand bear's natural resistance to disuse bone resorption. Bears ability to not exhibit disuse bone resorption could be biomimetically studied, in an attempt to adapt this protection to humans. Since humans experience disuse osteoporosis (extended bed rest and spaceflight) and osteoporosis (older population specifically women). iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS