Hierarchical Structures of Bone and Bioinspired Bone Tissue Engineering

Bone, as a mineralized composite of inorganic (mostly carbonated hydroxyapatite) and organic (mainly type I collagen) phases, possesses a unique combination of remarkable strength and toughness. Its excellent mechanical properties are related to its hierarchical structures and precise organization of the inorganic and organic phases at the nanoscale: Nanometer-sized hydroxyapatite crystals periodically deposit within the gap zones of collagen...