title: Prestress due to dimensional changes caused by demineralization: a potential mechanism for microcracking in bone.
abstract: Microcracking in bone due to internal strains caused by mineralization is a possible mechanism of damage. Similar damage can be seen in other biological composites such as trees experiencing growth-related prestresses. Dimensional changes in cortical bone due to demineralization and experimental glycation were studied to test whether mineralization-related prestrains are consistent with observed microcracking patterns in bone. A microscopy technique that enables wet measurements of length and angle of milled bone specimens was used. Demineralization of bovine and human bones caused significant anisotropic changes in tissue size. Dimensional changes due to demineralization in bovine bone were prevented or reduced when collagen cross linking was increased by glycation. The dimensional changes of bone caused by demineralization are consistent with the hypothesis that mineralization-caused stresses in remodeling tissue can cause microcracks.
authors.affiliation: Breech Research Laboratory, Bone and Joint Center, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, MI 48202, USA. yeni@bjc.hfh.edu
authors.forename: Yener N
authors.initials: YN
authors.lastname: Yeni
authors.forename: Mitchell B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Schaffler
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gibson
authors.forename: David P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Fyhrie
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016880:Anisotropy; D018775:Bone Demineralization Technique / Q000379:methods*; D002417:Cattle; D002951:Citrates / Q000494:pharmacology; D004492:Edetic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D005269:Femur / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D005561:Formates / Q000494:pharmacology; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000503:physiopathology; D005947:Glucose / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008954:Models, Biological; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D000077559:Sodium Citrate; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013977:Tibia / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D002951:Citrates; D005561:Formates; C030544:formic acid; D000077559:Sodium Citrate; D004492:Edetic Acid; D005947:Glucose