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Collagen mineralization: Aspects of the structural relationship between collagen and the apatitic crystallites

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Ultrastructure of Skeletal Tissues

Part of the book series: Electron Microscopy in Biology and Medicine ((EMBM,volume 7))

Abstract

Concerning the biomechanical function of the different hard tissues, it is important to analyze the gross arrangement of the mineralized collagen fiber bundles. While the characteristic pattern of parallel-arranged fiber bundles has been described in the lamellae of the osteons, the collagen fibers in dentine form a network. We shall concentrate on the small dimensions of the collagen fibers with reference to the way in which the interior and the surface regions of the fibers are mineralized. At this point it should be also mentioned that normally the whole collagen fibers in the different hard tissues become mineralized. However, when the collagen fibers are parallely arranged in thicker bundles, as in lamellar bone, cementum, and turkey tibia tendon, interior regions might exist that are less mineralized, probably because of a restricted influx of Ca and phosphate ions. Further, the minieralization of the surface region of the collagen fibers is connected with bound noncollagenous proteins.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute für Medizinische, Physik der Universität Münster, Hüfferstr. 68, D-4400, Münster, Germany

    Prof. Dr. H. J. Höhling

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  1. Prof. Dr. H. J. Höhling
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  2. Rudolf H. Barckhaus
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  3. Ernst-R. Krefting
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  4. Jörg Althoff
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  5. Peter Quint
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Human Biopathology, Faculty of Medicine, University “La Sapienza” of Rome, Italy

    E. Bonucci M.D.

  2. Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, University “La Sapienza” of Rome, Italy

    P. M. Motta M.D., Ph.D.

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© 1990 Kluwer Academic Publishers

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Höhling, H.J., Barckhaus, R.H., Krefting, ER., Althoff, J., Quint, P. (1990). Collagen mineralization: Aspects of the structural relationship between collagen and the apatitic crystallites. In: Bonucci, E., Motta, P.M. (eds) Ultrastructure of Skeletal Tissues. Electron Microscopy in Biology and Medicine, vol 7. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-1487-5_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-1487-5_3

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4612-8800-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4613-1487-5

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