Summary
X-ray diffraction, infrared absorption spectroscopy, and chemical investigation have been carried out on deproteinated samples of turkey leg tendon at different degrees of calcification. The inorganic phase consists of poorly crystalline B carbonated apatite. On increasing calcification, the apatite crystal size, as well as its thermal stability, increase while the relative magnesium content is reduced. On the other hand, synchrotron X-ray diffraction data clearly indicate that apatite lattice parameters do not change as the crystals get larger. At the last stage of calcification the crystal size, chemical composition, and thermal conversion of the apatite crystallites approximate those of bone samples, which have been examined for comparison. The results provide a quantitative relationship between relative magnesium content and extent of apatite conversion into B-tricalcium phosphate by heat treatment. Furthermore, they suggest that the smaller crystallites laid down inside the gap region of the collagen fibrils are richer in magnesium than the longer ones that fill the space between collagen fibrils.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Posner AS (1969) The crystal chemistry of bone mineral. Physiol Rev 49:760–792
Nancollas GH (1982) Biological mineralization and demineralization. Dahlem Konferenzen, Springer-Verlag, Berlin
Le Geros RZ, Trautz OR, Le Geros JP (1967) Apatite crystallites: effects: effects of carbonate on morphology. Science 155:1409–1411
Bonel G (1972) Contribution de l'etude de la carbonation des apatites. I. Synthese et etude des proprietes des apatites carbonatees de type A. Ann Chim 7:65–68
Elliott JC (1980) Space group and lattice constants of Ca10(PO4)6CO3. J Appl Cryst 13:618–621
Brown WE, Smith JP, Lehr JR, Frazier AW (1958) Crystallography of hydrated monocalcium phosphates containing potassium or ammonium. J Phys Chem 62:625–627
Baravelli S, Bigi A, Ripamonti A, Roveri N, Foresti E (1984) Thermal behaviour of bone and synthetic hydroxyapatites submitted to magnesium interaction in aqueous medium. J Inorg Biochem 20:1–12
Apfelbaum F, Mayer I, Featherstone JDB (1990) The role of HPO4 2- and CO3 2- ions on the transformation of synthetic apatites to β-Ca3(PO4)2. J Inorg Biochem 38:1–8
Bigi A, Foresti E, Marchetti F, Ripamonti A, Roveri N (1981) Magnesium and strontium interaction with carbonate-containing hydroxyapatite in aqueous medium. J Inorg Biochem 15:317–327
LeGros R, Balmain N, Bonel G (1986) Structure and composition of the mineral phase of periostal bone. J Chem Res Synop 1:8–9
Bigi A, Foresti E, Ripamonti A, Roveri N (1986) Fluoride and carbonate incorporation into hydroxyapatite under condition of cyclic pH variation. J Inorg Biochem 27:31–39
Bigi A, Compostella L, Fichera AM, Foresti E, Gazzano M, Ripamonti A, Roveri N (1988) Structural and chemical characterization of inorganic deposits in calcified human mitral valve. J Inorg Biochem 34:75–82
Landis WJ (1986) A study of calcification in the leg tendons from the domestic turkey. J Ultrastruct Mol Struct Res 94:217–238
Bigi A, Ripamonti A, Koch MHJ, Roveri N (1988) Calcified turkey leg tendon as structural model for bone mineralization. Int J Biol Macromol 10:282–286
Berthet-Colominas C, Miller A, White S (1979) Structural study of the calcifying collagen in turkey leg tendons. J Mol Biol 134:431–445
Ascenzi A, Bigi A, Koch MHJ, Ripamonti A, Roveri N (1985) A low-angle x-ray diffraction analysis of osteonic inorganic phase using synchrotron radiation. Calcif Tissue Int 37:659–664
Bigi A, Ripamonti A, Cojazzi G, Pizzuto G, Roveri N, Koch MHJ (1991) Structural analysis of turkey tendon collagen upon removal of the inorganic phase. Int J Biol Macromol 13:110–114
Landis WJ, Moradian-Oldak J, Weiner S (1991) Topographic imaging of mineral and collagen in the calcifying turkey tendon. Conn Tissue Res 25:181–196
Termine JD, Eanes ED, Greenfield DJ, Nylen MU (1973) Hydrazine-deproteinated bone mineral. Calcif Tissue Res 12:73–90
Quinlan KP, De Sesa MA (1955) Spectrophotometric determination of phosphorus as molybdovanadophosphoric acid. Anal Chem 27:1626–1629
Walters MA, Leung YC, Blumenthal NC, Le Geros RZ, Konsker KA (1990) Raman and infrared spectroscopic investigation of biological hydroxyapatite. J Inorg Biochem 39:193–200
Klug HP, Alexander LE (1959) X-ray diffraction procedures. Wiley, New York
Harper RA, Posner AS (1966) Measurement of non-crystalline calcium phosphate in bone mineral. Proc Soc Exp Biol 122:137–142
Grynpas MD, Tenenbaum MC, Holymyard DP (1989) The emergence and maturation of the first apatite crystals in an in vitro bone formation system. Conn Tissue Res 21:227–237
Weiner S, Traub W (1989) Crystal size and organization in bone. Conn Tissue Res 21:259–265
Burnell JM, Teubner EJ, Miller AG (1980) Normal maturational changes in bone matrix, mineral and crystal size in the rat. Calcif Tissue Int 31:13–19
Bigi A, Foresti E, Incerti A, Ripamonti A, Roveri N (1980) Structural and chemical characterization of the inorganic deposits in calcified human aortic wall. Inorg Chim Acta 55:81–85
Tomazic BB, Etz ES, Brown WE (1987) Nature and properties of cardiovascular deposits. Scanning Microsc Int 1:95–105
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bigi, A., Foresti, E., Gregorini, R. et al. The role of magnesium on the structure of biological apatites. Calcif Tissue Int 50, 439–444 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00296775
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00296775