Eine Studie über die Reifung von Säugetierknochenmineralien

Abstract

The present report begins by comparing data on bone mineralization communicated in the literature to date with the authors'' own previously published concept of the "three-phase model". The age-dependent accumulation of minerals in the femurs of Wister rats was also chemically analytically investigated. The results suggest that the mineral first formed is octacalcium phosphate. It is followed by sodium- and magnesium-containing phases. Maturation of octacalcium phosphate only occurs after this; it is converted into a highly carbon-deficient hydroxyapatite. During this conversion the molar Ca/P ratio rises from 1.33 to 2. However, the final value of 2 is not fully attained: this is attributable to the "turnover'' activity of bone-metabolic processes. The paper concludes with a discussion of how the newly developed chemical method of determining bone turnover can be used to determine this vitality.