X-Ray Phase Nanotomography Resolves the 3D Human Bone Ultrastructure

International audienceBone strength and failure are increasingly thought to be due to ultrastructural properties, such as the morphology of thelacuno-canalicular network, the collagen fiber orientation and the mineralization on the nanoscale. However, theseproperties have not been studied in 3D so far. Here we report the investigation of the human bone ultrastructure with X-rayphase nanotomography, which now provides the required sensitivity, spatial resolution and field of view. The 3Dorganization of the lacuno-canalicular network is studied in detail over several cells in osteonal and interstitial tissue.Nanoscale density variations are revealed and show that the cement line separating these tissues is hypermineralized.Finally, we show that the collagen fibers are organized as a twisted plywood structure in 3