Progress Article abstract
Nature Materials 6, 263 - 268 (2007)
doi:10.1038/nmat1866
Living with cracks: Damage and repair in human bone
David Taylor1, Jan G. Hazenberg1,2 & T. Clive Lee1,2
Abstract
Our bones are full of cracks, which form and grow as a result of daily loading activities. Bone is the major structural material in our bodies. Although weaker than many engineering materials, it has one trick that keeps it ahead — it can repair itself. Small cracks, which grow under cyclic stresses by the mechanism of fatigue, can be detected and removed before they become long enough to be dangerous. This article reviews the work that has been done to understand how cracks form and grow in bone, and how they can be detected and repaired in a timely manner. This is truly an interdisciplinary research field, requiring the close cooperation of materials scientists, biologists and engineers.
- Trinity Centre for Bioengineering, Mechanical Engineering Department, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland
- Department of Anatomy, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, St. Stephen's Green, Dublin 2, Ireland
Correspondence to: David Taylor1 e-mail: dtaylor@tcd.ie
MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS
These links to content published by NPG are automatically generated.
NEWS AND VIEWS
Bone fracture When the cracks begin to showNature Materials News and Views (01 Aug 2008)
Mend the gapNature Medicine News and Views (01 Mar 2003)
Biomaterials Sacrificial bonds heal boneNature News and Views (13 Dec 2001)
