title: Localized tissue mineralization regulated by bone remodelling: A computational approach.
abstract: Bone is a living tissue whose main mechanical function is to provide stiffness, strength and protection to the body. Both stiffness and strength depend on the mineralization of the organic matrix, which is constantly being remodelled by the coordinated action of the bone multicellular units (BMUs). Due to the dynamics of both remodelling and mineralization, each sample of bone is composed of structural units (osteons in cortical and packets in cancellous bone) created at different times, therefore presenting different levels of mineral content. In this work, a computational model is used to understand the feedback between the remodelling and the mineralization processes under different load conditions and bone porosities. This model considers that osteoclasts primarily resorb those parts of bone closer to the surface, which are younger and less mineralized than older inner ones. Under equilibrium loads, results show that bone volumes with both the highest and the lowest levels of porosity (cancellous and cortical respectively) tend to develop higher levels of mineral content compared to volumes with intermediate porosity, thus presenting higher material densities. In good agreement with recent experimental measurements, a boomerang-like pattern emerges when plotting apparent density at the tissue level versus material density at the bone material level. Overload and disuse states are studied too, resulting in a translation of the apparent-material density curve. Numerical results are discussed pointing to potential clinical applications.
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Nacional de Entre Ríos, Ruta 11, Oro Verde, Entre Ríos, República Argentina.
authors.forename: Marcelo
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9404-6787
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Berli
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ingeniería Mecánica, Instituto de Investigación en Ingeniería de Aragón (I3A), Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, España.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3784-1140
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Borau
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Nacional de Entre Ríos, Ruta 11, Oro Verde, Entre Ríos, República Argentina.
authors.forename: Oscar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Decco
authors.affiliation: Musculoskeletal & Medicolegal Research Group, Cranfield Forensic Institute, DA of the UK, Shrivenham, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.affiliation: nCATS, University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Richard B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ingeniería Mecánica, Instituto de Investigación en Ingeniería de Aragón (I3A), Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, España.
authors.forename: José Manuel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: García Aznar
authors.affiliation: Musculoskeletal & Medicolegal Research Group, Cranfield Forensic Institute, DA of the UK, Shrivenham, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0123-2706
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zioupos
mesh_terms: D016723:Bone Remodeling; D002113:Calcification, Physiologic; D006801:Humans