The preferential orientation and its degree of crystallographic
c-axis of biological apatite powder particles dominates bone mechanical function. Based on the importance of the apatite orientation, we are trying to elucidate the mechanisms through which the anisotropic apatite micro-arrangement forms using the regenerated bones and pathological bones including gene-modified ones. Of the many factors that possibly affect apatite orientation,
in vivo stress field was found to play a significant role, therefore, applying a sound stress field onto bones is essential to induce a healthy bones that have optimally anisotropic apatite arrangement. From this perspective, bone implants should be developed targeting on the formation and maintenance of healthy apatite orientation and aggressive stress control. Anisotropic porous structure might be a promising strategy to create such implants with the novel concepts. Layer-by-layer additive manufacturing technology that fabricates products with arbitrary shape and inner structure from powdered metal materials is a powerful tool to achieve anisotropically-structured implants for inducing apatite orientation. Our research and development, clarifying bones’ functionalization mechanisms and creating highly-functionalized implants, both of which are closely connected with each other, are ongoing by utilizing powder metallurgy and biology.
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