An x-ray diffraction investigation of age-related changes in the crystal structure of bone apatite

Abstract

Evidence relating to the existence of crystalline bone mineral in vivo is considered, and bone apatite crystal structure investigated using an x-ray powder diffraction technique. Specimens of femoral compacta excised post-mortem from male and female subjects ranging from 3 1/2 years to 87 years of age have been studied. Values of the ratio c/a of bone apatite crystal cell axes for females are significantly higher (pp=0.0005) but not for females (p=0.30). Differences in c/a are interpreted as indicating substitution of constituent ions in the bone apatite crystals.