Statement of Significance: BONE grafts are the most common transplants after the blood transfusions. This makes the bone-tissue regeneration research of pressing scientific and social impact.
The structure and organization of the Type I collagen microfibrils during mineral nanoparticle formation appear as the key factor for a deeper understanding of the biomineralization mechanism and for governing the bone tissue physical properties. In this work we investigated the dynamics of collagen packing during ex-vivo mineralization of ceramic porous hydroxyapatite implant scaffolds using synchrotron high resolution X-ray phase contrast micro-tomography (XPC mu T) and synchrotron scanning micro X-ray diffraction (S mu XRD). While XPC mu T provides the direct 3D image of the collagen fibers network organization with micrometer spatial resolution, S mu XRD allows to probe the structural statistical fluctuations of the collagen fibrils at nanoscale. In particular we imaged the lateral spacing and orientation of collagen fibrils during the anisotropic growth of mineral nanocrystals. Beyond throwing light on the bone regeneration multiscale process, this approach can provide important information in the characterization of tissue in health, aging and degeneration conditions.
Imaging collagen packing dynamics during mineralization of engineered bone tissue
Campi G;Fratini M;Bukreeva I;Cedola A
2015
Abstract
The structure and organization of the Type I collagen microfibrils during mineral nanoparticle formation appear as the key factor for a deeper understanding of the biomineralization mechanism and for governing the bone tissue physical properties. In this work we investigated the dynamics of collagen packing during ex-vivo mineralization of ceramic porous hydroxyapatite implant scaffolds using synchrotron high resolution X-ray phase contrast micro-tomography (XPC mu T) and synchrotron scanning micro X-ray diffraction (S mu XRD). While XPC mu T provides the direct 3D image of the collagen fibers network organization with micrometer spatial resolution, S mu XRD allows to probe the structural statistical fluctuations of the collagen fibrils at nanoscale. In particular we imaged the lateral spacing and orientation of collagen fibrils during the anisotropic growth of mineral nanocrystals. Beyond throwing light on the bone regeneration multiscale process, this approach can provide important information in the characterization of tissue in health, aging and degeneration conditions.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
