Fractal-like hierarchical organization of bone begins at the nanoscale

TY - JOUR

T1 - Fractal-like hierarchical organization of bone begins at the nanoscale

AU - Reznikov, Natalie

AU - Bilton, Matthew William

AU - Lari, Leonardo

AU - Stevens, M

AU - Kröger, Roland

N1 - 2017 © The Authors. This is an author-produced version of the published paper. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher’s self-archiving policy. Further copying may not be permitted; contact the publisher for details.

PY - 2018/5/4

Y1 - 2018/5/4

N2 - The components of bone assemble hierarchically to provide stiffness and toughness. However, the organization and relationship between bone’s principal components—mineral and collagen—has not been clearly elucidated. Using three-dimensional electron tomography imaging and high-resolution two-dimensional electron microscopy, we demonstrate that bone mineral is hierarchically assembled beginning at the nanoscale: Needle-shaped mineral units merge laterally to form platelets, and these are further organized into stacks of roughly parallel platelets. These stacks coalesce into aggregates that exceed the lateral dimensions of the collagen fibrils and span adjacent fibrils as continuous, cross-fibrillar mineralization. On the basis of these observations, we present a structural model of hierarchy and continuity for the mineral phase, which contributes to the structural integrity of bone.

AB - The components of bone assemble hierarchically to provide stiffness and toughness. However, the organization and relationship between bone’s principal components—mineral and collagen—has not been clearly elucidated. Using three-dimensional electron tomography imaging and high-resolution two-dimensional electron microscopy, we demonstrate that bone mineral is hierarchically assembled beginning at the nanoscale: Needle-shaped mineral units merge laterally to form platelets, and these are further organized into stacks of roughly parallel platelets. These stacks coalesce into aggregates that exceed the lateral dimensions of the collagen fibrils and span adjacent fibrils as continuous, cross-fibrillar mineralization. On the basis of these observations, we present a structural model of hierarchy and continuity for the mineral phase, which contributes to the structural integrity of bone.

KW - Bone Density

KW - Bone Substitutes

KW - Bone and Bones/chemistry

KW - Calcification, Physiologic

KW - Electron Microscope Tomography

KW - Humans

KW - Microscopy, Electron, Transmission

KW - Nanostructures

UR - http://science.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/360/6388/eaao2189?ijkey=IrGDuTsqR0iuQ&keytype=ref&siteid=sci

UR - http://science.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/360/6388/eaao2189?ijkey=IrGDuTsqR0iuQ&keytype=ref&siteid=sci

UR - http://science.sciencemag.org/cgi/rapidpdf/360/6388/eaao2189?ijkey=IrGDuTsqR0iuQ&keytype=ref&siteid=sci

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85046411036&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1126/science.aao2189

DO - 10.1126/science.aao2189

M3 - Article

C2 - 29724924

SN - 0036-8075

VL - 360

JO - Science

JF - Science

IS - 6388

M1 - eaao2189

ER -