Studying variations in bone composition at nano-scale resolution: a preliminary report

Calcif Tissue Int. 2014 Nov;95(5):413-8. doi: 10.1007/s00223-014-9909-9. Epub 2014 Aug 26.

Abstract

Bone has a hierarchical structure extending from the micrometer to the nanometer scale. We report here the first analysis of non-human primate osteonal bone obtained using a spectrometer coupled to an AFM microscope (AFM-IR), with a resolution of 50-100 nm. Average spectra correspond to those observed with conventional FTIR spectroscopy. The following validated FTIR parameters were calculated based on intensities observed in scans covering ~60 µm from the osteon center: mineral content (1030/1660 cm(-1)), crystallinity (1030/1020 cm(-1)), collagen maturity (1660/1690 cm(-1)), and acid phosphate content (1128/1096 cm(-1)). A repeating pattern was found in most of these calculated IR parameters corresponding to the reported inter- and intra-lamellar spacing in human bone, indicating that AFM-IR measurements will be able to provide novel compositional information on the variation in bone at the nanometer level.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bone and Bones / chemistry*
  • Bone and Bones / ultrastructure*
  • Microscopy, Atomic Force
  • Papio
  • Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared