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Related Concept Videos

Essential Minerals for Bone Health01:31

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The minerals contained in all of the food we consume are essential for our organ systems. However, certain essential minerals, such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, and fluoride, largely affect bone health.
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Bone contains a relatively small number of cells entrenched in a matrix of collagen fibers that provide an adherent surface for inorganic salt crystals. Both components of the matrix, organic and inorganic, contribute to the unusual properties of bone. Without collagen, bones would be brittle and shatter easily. Without mineral crystals, bones would flex and provide little support. This can be observed by an experiment: when the minerals of a bone are dissolved by soaking the bone in...
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Roles of Electrolytes: Calcium and Phosphate01:27

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Calcium and phosphate are essential electrolytes in the human body, with calcium being the most abundant mineral. Around 99% of the body's calcium is stored in the skeleton and teeth, forming a crystal lattice of mineral salts in combination with phosphates. Calcium plays crucial roles in various bodily functions such as blood clotting, neurotransmitter release, muscle tone maintenance, and nervous and muscle tissue excitability.
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The cell fragments known as platelets are disc-shaped, with an average diameter of about 3 μm and a thickness of roughly 1 μm. They play a crucial role in the body's vascular clotting system, which also involves plasma proteins, blood cells, and blood vessel tissues.
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The growth and maintenance of bone are regulated by a combination of nutritional factors, including vitamins, such as vitamin A, B12, C, D, and K.
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Analysis of Minerals Produced by hFOB 1.19 and Saos-2 Cells Using Transmission Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive X-ray Microanalysis
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Citrate bridges between mineral platelets in bone.

Erika Davies1, Karin H Müller, Wai Ching Wong

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Citrate anions in bone mineral act as bridges between platelets, maintaining separation and disorder. This structure, modeled by octacalcium phosphate citrate, explains bone

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Area of Science:

  • Biomineralization
  • Bone Biology
  • Materials Science

Background:

  • Bone mineral comprises primarily carbonated apatite.
  • The precise role of citrate in bone mineral structure and function remains debated.
  • Understanding bone mineral structure is crucial for addressing bone diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the structural role of citrate anions in bone mineral.
  • To test the hypothesis that citrate bridges mineral platelets, maintaining their separation.
  • To propose a quantitative structural model for bone mineral incorporating citrate.

Main Methods:

  • Synthesis and characterization of octacalcium phosphate citrate (OCP-citrate) as a model system.
  • Multinuclear solid-state NMR spectroscopy.
  • Powder X-ray diffraction.
  • First-principles electronic structure calculations.
  • (17)O NMR spectroscopy of bone mineral.

Main Results:

  • A quantitative structure for OCP-citrate was proposed, with citrate anions in hydrated layers bridging between apatitic layers.
  • Novel (17)O NMR data for bone mineral were presented and compared to model systems.
  • A layered structural model for bone mineral was deduced, featuring thin apatitic platelets and OCP-citrate-like hydrated layers.

Conclusions:

  • Citrate anions play a critical role in maintaining the layered structure of bone mineral.
  • The proposed model explains key features of bone mineral, including platelet morphology and water content.
  • This structural understanding provides insights into bone's mechanical properties and pathological changes.