Iacoviello, F;
Kirby, AC;
Javanmardi, Y;
Moeendarbary, E;
Shabanli, M;
Tsolaki, E;
Sharp, AC;
... Bertazzo, S; + view all
(2020)
The multiscale hierarchical structure of Heloderma suspectum osteoderms and their mechanical properties.
Acta Biomaterialia
, 107
pp. 194-203.
10.1016/j.actbio.2020.02.029.
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Abstract
Osteoderms are hard tissues embedded in the dermis of vertebrates and have been suggested to be formed from several different mineralized regions. However, their nano architecture and micro mechanical properties had not been fully characterized. Here, using electron microscopy, µ-CT, atomic force microscopy and finite element simulation, an in-depth characterization of osteoderms from the lizard Heloderma suspectum, is presented. Results show that osteoderms are made of three different mineralized regions: a dense apex, a fibre-enforced region comprising the majority of the osteoderm, and a bone-like region surrounding the vasculature. The dense apex is stiff, the fibre-enforced region is flexible and the mechanical properties of the bone-like region fall somewhere between the other two regions. Our finite element analyses suggest that when combined into the osteoderm structure, the distinct tissue regions are able to shield the body of the animal by dampening the external forces. These findings reveal the structure-function relationship of the Heloderma suspectum osteoderm in unprecedented detail.
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