S-4 　

Evaluation Technique for Regenerative Bone Tissue

Takayoshi Nakano

Course of Materials Science & Engineering, Division of Materials & Manufacturing Science,

Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University

Recent remarkable progress in medical technique for regenerating bone defects requests to develop a new method for evaluating the functional integrity of regenerative tissue. We applied the Materials Scientific technique such as microbeam X-ray diffractometer system and nano-indentation test to the regenerative bones in order to analyze the preferential alignment of the biological apatite (BAp) c-axis and the related mechanical function as a parameter of bone quality, focusing on the in vivo stress distribution. The BAp nano-crystals basically precipitate as an anisotropic hcp lattice on the extended collagen fibers, and the preferential alignment controls the mechanical function in bones.

We finally conclude that the BAp orientation distribution in bones is a new measure to evaluate in vivo stress distribution, nano-scale microstructure and the related mechanical function, healing process of the regenerated bone and progress of the bone diseases.