Measurement of streaming potentials in bone microchannels

When bone fluid flow through the microchannels in bone, it can induce streaming potentials which are considered to play a role for bone remodeling. This paper aimed to determine the difference of streaming potentials when the fluid flows through Haversian canals and canaliculi experimentally. The test results show that the microchannels running transverse to Osteon such as canaliculi contribute more streaming potentials than those along the Osteon such as Haversian canal. The experimental results also show that the amplitudes of the streaming potential depend on pressure loading rates for both coated and uncoated samples. When the lateral surfaces of samples are coated with the silica gel, streaming potentials decrease over 60%. In other words, the flowing of the fluid through canalicul can generate the streaming potential over 60%, while it generates below 40% when the fluid flows through the Haversian canals.