Microstructure, mineral and mechanical properties of teleost intermuscular bones

• Published in: Journal of biomechanics Vol. 94; pp. 59 - 66
• Main Authors: Fiedler, I.A.K., Zeveleva, S., Duarte, A., Zhao, X., Depalle, B., Cardoso, L., Jin, S., Berteau, J.P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Ltd 20-09-2019; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Age; Animals; Biomechanical Phenomena; Biomechanics; Biomedical materials; Bone and Bones - diagnostic imaging; Bone and Bones - physiology; Bone and Bones - ultrastructure; Bone biomaterials; Bone biomechanics; Bone Density; Bone mineral density; Bones; Collagen; Computed tomography; Computer architecture; Elastic Modulus; Fish; Fishes - anatomy & histology; Fishes - physiology; Hardness; Intermuscular bone; Investigations; Mechanical properties; Mechanical tests; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; Mineral; Mineralization; Minerals; Modulus of elasticity; Muscles; Scanning electron microscopy; Structure-function relationships; Teleost fish; Tendons; Tensile properties; TMD; X-Ray Microtomography; X-ray scattering; United States > US; Mineral; Mechanical properties; TMD; Intermuscular bone; Teleost fish
• ISSN: 0021-9290; 1873-2380
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2019.07.009

There is an increasing interest in understanding teleost bone biomechanics in several scientific communities, for instance as interesting biomaterials with specific structure-function relationships. Intermuscular bones of teleost fish have previously been described to play a role in the mechanical force transmission between muscle and bone, but their biomechanical properties are not yet fully described. Here, we have investigated intermuscular bones (IBs) of the North Atlantic Herring with regard to their structure and micro-architecture, mineral-related properties, and micro-mechanical tensile properties. A total of 115 IBs from 18 fish were investigated. One cohort of IBs, containing 20 bones from 2 smaller fish and 23 bones of 3 larger fish, was used for mechanical testing, wide-angle X-ray scattering, and scanning electron microscopy. Another cohort, containing 36 bones from 7 smaller fish and 36 bones from 6 larger fish, was used for microCT. Results show some astonishing properties of the IBs: (i) IBs present higher ductility, lower Young's modulus but similar strength and TMD (Tissue Mineral Density) compared to mammalian bone, and (ii) IBs from small fish were 49% higher in Young’s modulus than fish bones from larger fish while their TMD was not statistically different and crystal length was 8% higher in large fish bones. Our results revealed that teleost IB presents a hybrid nature of soft and hard tissue that differs from other bone types, which might be associated with their evolution from mineralized tendons. This study provides new data regarding teleost fish bone biomechanical and micro-structural properties.