Central to all regenerative cascades driven by cellular self-organisation are (1) a well-controlled local inflammatory response, (2) well-balanced nutrition supply and consumption, and (3) a well-structured matrix re-organization by force transmission and sensing. These are the three key mechanism that need to be closely coordinated to achieve successful endogenous tissue regeneration in bone. To prove this hypothesis, we want to understand the interdependencies between these key mechanisms of healing, which have only been studied from a one-dimensional perspective so far.

The aim of this CRC is to reveal (1) how the interplay between these three key mechanisms is controlled and regulated; (2) how their interdependencies are adjusted during healthy aging so that regeneration remains - in principle – possible; and (3) how each of the three key mechanisms are challenged by distinct stressors that are associated with delayed or non-healing conditions.