Texture of Biological Apatite Crystallites and the Related Mechanical Function in Regenerated and Pathological Hard Tissues

Abstract

Preferential alignment of biological apatite (BAp) c-axis and the related collagen (Col) fibril was proved to be a dominant parameter showing bone quality for understanding nano-scale microstructure and the related mechanical function in addition to bone mineral density (BMD). We clarified the correlations between in vivo stress distribution and the BAp/Col alignment and between the BAp/Col alignment and mechanical function, especially Young's modulus, in original intact and regenerative hard tissues. The mutual relationships are predicted to be closely related to the function of osteocyte which can sense the surrounding stress field. The BAp orientation was finally concluded to be one of the most important indices to evaluate in vivo stress distribution, nano-scale microstructure and the related mechanical function, regenerative process of the regenerated bone and progress of bone diseases.