Mechanoregulation of biomineralization in the rat incisor

The role of mechanical forces in dynamically regulating the nanostructure of biominerals to enhance mechanical properties remains largely overlooked in both in vivo and in vitro studies. Consequently, synthetic hard tissues often fail to replicate the superior structure and properties of their biological counterparts. Here, we investigate the growth of the bamboo rat (Rhizomys sinensis) incisor and report a mechanoresponsive biomineralization microstructure and its associated mechanical properties. Our results demonstrate that the decussation angle of enamel prisms can be dynamically predicted by chewing forces. This work unveils a mechanosensitive biomineralization mechanism, offering a new paradigm for designing and synthesizing advanced biocomposites.