Chemical and structural characterization of the mineral phase from cortical and trabecular bone

X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy and chemical investigations have been carried out on the inorganic phases from rat cortical and trabecular bone. Although both inorganic phases consist of poorly crystalline B carbonated apatite, several significant differences have been observed. In particular, trabecular bone apatite displays reduced crystallite sizes, Ca/P molar ratio, and carbonate content, and exhibits a greater extent of thermal conversion into beta-tricalcium phosphate than cortical bone apatite. These differences can be related to the different extents of collagen posttranslational modifications exhibited by the two types of bone, in agreement with their different biological functions.