Membranes and pathophysiological mineralization

Vascular calcification accompanies the pathological process of atherosclerotic plaque formation. Artery calcification results from trans-differentiation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) into cells resembling mineralization-competent cells such as osteoblasts and chondrocytes. The activity of tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase (TNAP), a GPI-anchored enzyme necessary for physiological mineralization, is induced in VSMCs in response to inflammation. TNAP achieves its mineralizing function being anchored to plasma membrane of mineralizing cells and to the surface of their derived matrix vesicles (MVs), and numerous important reports indicate that membranes play a crucial role in initiating the crystal formation. In this review, we would like to highlight various functions of lipids and proteins associated to membranes at different stages of both physiological mineralization and vascular calcification, with an emphasis on the pathological process of atherosclerotic plaque formation.