Crystal inhibition: the effects of polyanions on calcium oxalate crystal growth

The inhibition of calcium oxalate crystal growth by the glycosaminoglycans, chondroitin sulphates and heparin, by the low-molecular-weight heparin analogue pentosan polysulphate and by Tamm-Horsfall glycoprotein extracted from human urine, was measured by using a seeded crystal procedure and compared with the inhibition by pyrophosphate. It was found that the most pronounced inhibition was obtained with the polyanions with the highest charge density, i.e., heparin and pentosan polysulphate. Tamm-Horsfall glycoprotein caused an inhibition of a similar magnitude as urinary chondroitin sulphates. Urinary polyanions with a high affinity to Sepharose 4B were more efficient inhibitors than those with a low or no affinity to the gel. It is concluded that urinary polyanions are important inhibitors of calcium oxalate crystal growth and that the potency of inhibition increases with the charge density.