Load-bearing tissues in different organ systems display a wide variety of mechanical properties, yet are composed of only a few different molecules, with collagen as the principal structural protein. In bone, a mineral phase comprising carbonate-apatite crystallites confers compressive and torsional strength. The arrangement of collagen and apatite into three-dimensional hierarchical composite structures enables the tissue to bear high loads while maintaining flexibility. Moreover, bone serves as the body’s chemical storehouse for non-collagenous proteins and smaller molecular weight anions and cations such as calcium.

An understanding of the three-dimensional structure of the apatite phase at the nanometer and micrometer levels can provide insights into the properties of bone, and serve as the guide for the development of bone substitute materials. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) has been valuable in revealing certain ultrastructural features of the mineral. However, it has not yet been possible to obtain three-dimensional reconstructions of the morphology and distribution of the apatite phase of bone using this method.