Structure and function of lamellar bone.

A comparative scanning and transmission electron microscopy study was carried out on human compact lamellar bone. The results obtained fully confirm our previous findings which show that bony lamellae are not made up of parallel-arranged collagen fibers, as classically maintained. They are instead made up of highly interlaced fibers, and the lamellation appears to be due to the alternation of collagen-rich and collagen-poor layers, namely of dense and loose lamellae. In the light of these findings, lamellar bone must be considered a variety of woven- instead of parallel-fibered bone, as given in almost all the textbook of histology as an established datum. Such collagen organization of lamellar bone is briefly discussed in terms of bone biomechanics and osteogenesis.