Transmission FT-IR microspectroscopy of mineral phases in calcified tissues

Fourier-transform infrared microspectroscopy (FT-IRM) was used to study bone mineralization processes in an in vivo model and in enamel in osteogenesis imperfecta. Finally, the ability of FT-IRM to map new bone formed in implanted macroporous calcium phosphate biomaterial from sections was reported for the first time. FT-IRM allowed the correlation of the microstructure of bone formation in the in vivo model with modifications in carbonate and phosphate environments of the mineral phases during maturation. FR-IRM analysis on enamel sections revealed changes in the mineral environment of carbonate and phosphate ions and probably in the size of enamel crystals. These modifications contributed to the fragility of enamel in osteogenesis imperfecta. The infrared functional group imaging of a part of implanted biomaterial and the bone ingrowth provided the visualization of chemical modifications occurring in biomaterial implants at 20 microns spatial resolution. The use of FT-IRM, in conjunction with appropriate sampling methods and data analysis should provide further insight into the molecular structure of mineral phases of calcified tissues and help to elucidate mineralization processes, skeletal disorders and properties of the biomaterials used as bone substitute.