Atomic force microscopy on human trabecular bone from an old woman with osteoporotic fractures

Tue Hassenkam*, Henrik L. Jørgensen, Morten B. Pedersen, Anette H. Kourakis, Lene Simonsen, Jes B. Lauritzen

*Corresponding author af dette arbejde

Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskriftTidsskriftartikelForskningpeer review

23 Citationer (Scopus)

Abstract

AFM images were taken of the exterior surface of a single trabecula, extracted from a human femoral head removed during surgery for a hip fracture in an old women with former fractures. The images showed a dense structure of bundled collagen fibrils banded with 67 nm periodicity. Bundles were seen to run in parallel in layers confirming the collagen structure seen by other techniques. Single collagen fibrils were seen to cross the bundles, thus forming cross-links between neighboring bundles of collagen fibrils. Some of these crossing fibrils did not have the 67 nm band pattern and their dimensions were about half compared to the neighboring collagen fibrils. Very little mineral was found on the surface of the trabecula. An AFM image of a fracture plane was also displayed. The trabecula was extracted from a region close to the hip fracture. However, there were in this case no obvious features in the images that could be linked directly to osteoporosis, but altered collagen banding and collagen protrusions may alter mechanical competence. A path to extensive studies of the nanometer scale structure of bone was demonstrated.

OriginalsprogEngelsk
TidsskriftMicron
Vol/bind36
Udgave nummer7-8
Sider (fra-til)681-687
Antal sider7
ISSN0968-4328
DOI
StatusUdgivet - 2005

Bibliografisk note

Funding Information:
Acknowledgment: The Research reported here was kindly supported by the Danish research councils (SNF).

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