Application of high-pressure Raman spectroscopy to bone biomechanics

Compressive stress on bone, cartilage and other tissues accompanies normal activity. While the biomechanical properties of many tissues are reasonably well-understood at many levels of structure, surprisingly little is known at the ultrastructural and crystal lattice levels. We show how the use of diamond anvil cell Raman microspectroscopy enables a deeper understanding of the response of tissue to mechanical stress. We discuss the reversible responses of deproteinated and intact bone powders to hydrostatic pressure and compare these responses to those of a model compound, synthetic carbonated apatite.