In situ component selective determination of elastic modulus of bone tissue without loading.

通过测量胶原的X射线衍射强度的温度依赖性来确定骨中胶原的弹性模量，而不对试样施加载荷。通常，骨中胶原的衍射与矿物质的衍射叠加，我们制备了矿物质含量为天然骨三分之一的骨标本。对于这些标本，胶原的模量值比肌腱胶原的模量值大几倍。然后，骨中的胶原蛋白的矿物质的增强被证实，并推断出骨胶原蛋白的表观模量值比肌腱胶原蛋白的表观模量值大得多。

Elastic modulus of collagen in bone was determined without loading to the specimen by measuring temperature dependence of X-ray diffraction intensity from collagen. In general, diffraction from collagen in bone is superimposed by that from mineral. We prepared bone specimens with mineral fraction one third of native bone. For these specimens, modulus values of collagen several times larger than that of tendon collagen were obtained. Then, reinforcement of collagen in bone by mineral was confirmed and much larger apparent modulus values for bone collagen than those of tendon collagen were deduced.