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Calcification: Oral Physiology Dent 207

The document discusses calcification and the physicochemical processes involved. It describes how crystallization occurs through nucleation and crystal growth. Nucleation can be homogeneous, involving only ion clustering, or heterogeneous, where ions bind to surfaces like collagen or non-collagenous proteins in the matrix. These proteins and molecules in the matrix can act as nucleation sites or seeds. The document also discusses how crystals form and grow, and the role of matrix vesicles in facilitating calcification in tissues.

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Ali Al-Qudsi
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152 views10 pages

Calcification: Oral Physiology Dent 207

The document discusses calcification and the physicochemical processes involved. It describes how crystallization occurs through nucleation and crystal growth. Nucleation can be homogeneous, involving only ion clustering, or heterogeneous, where ions bind to surfaces like collagen or non-collagenous proteins in the matrix. These proteins and molecules in the matrix can act as nucleation sites or seeds. The document also discusses how crystals form and grow, and the role of matrix vesicles in facilitating calcification in tissues.

Uploaded by

Ali Al-Qudsi
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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CALCIFICATION

Oral Physiology
Dent 207
Physicochemical consideration
 Crystallization
 Nucleation
 Crystal growth
 Energy involved in ion movement is proportional to its
concentration in the solution
 More conc. – more ionic collisions – heat – energy loss
– less ionic activity
 Consequences
 Precipitation of a crystal

 Nucleation
 Formation of an aggregation of ions as the 1st step in
crystallization
 Formation of ion clusters exceeds their solution
Physicochemical consideration
 A variety of crystal forms of Ca & PO4
 Differ in type of PO4 ion –
 Depending upon solution pH & content of hydroxyl ions

 At body tissue pH = 7.2


 Amorphous precipitation of Calcium Phosphate
 No defined crystal structure

 More soluble & form more readily than apatite

 At physiological pH it transforms into octacalcium

phosphate Ca8H2(PO4)-5H2O
 Both amorphous & octacalcium phosphate transform
into apatite at a later stage
Homogeneous vs. heterogeneous
nucleation
 Homogeneous nucleation
 Only the ions cluster to form a crystal
 Heterogeneous nucleation
 Binding of ions to solid molecules surfaces –
reducing surface energy of ion cluster
 A particle other than the ion is contributes to
the crystal
 Nucleator is called seed
 Nucleation is termed seeding or epitaxy
Collagen as a nucleator
 Binds PO4 well
 Poor calcium-binding agent
 Close proximity of early small crystals to the
hole region of collagen
 Hard vs. soft tissue collagen
 Hard tissues
 Hole regions on the collagen molecule act as
seeding sites
 Soft tissue
 No hole regions
Collagen as a nucleator
 Nucleation occurs when other bone-derived
proteins are present on collagen surface
 Non-collagenous bone proteins are the
nucleators, or…
 They combine collagen to act together as the
nucleator
 Some other molecules act as inhibitors of
nucleation
 Selective breakdown of such molecules allow
nucleation to take place
Non-collagenous proteins as
nucleators
 Acidic phosphoproteins
 Strong calcium-binding properties
 May act as seeds themselves, or…
 When combined with collagen
 GLA proteins
 Osteonectin
 Osteopontin
 Bone sialoprotein II
Crystal growth
 Once ion cluster reaches adequate size, it acts itself as a seed
 Ions can attach to its surface
 Growth of the crystal by accretion
 Uniforly around the crystal, or…
 On a particular surface (enamel crystals)
 Nucleation by an already formed crystals may initiate new
projecting crystals rather than enlarging the original crystal
 Separation of projection make new crystals
 Shape, size & final orientation of crystals must be precisely
controlled to confer the final consistency is a given calcified
tissue
 Influence of enamelins in enamel
 Prismatic structure of enamel
 Increased size of enamel crystals
 Influence of collagen in other hard tissues
Matrix vesicles
 In quickly calcifying tissue
 Cells bud off small membranous sacs
(vesicles) into the matrix
 Crystals form inside the vesicles

 Matrix vesicles are seen in


 Cartilage
 Bone, including maxilla & mandible
 Cementum
 Reparative dentine
 Mantle layer of primary dentine
Matrix vesicles
 Membrane of a matrix vesicle is high in
 Alkaline phosphase
 Phosphatidylserine
 Vesicle ruptures when the content size increases –
 Content released
 Crystals stick together to form globular structures
(calcospherites)
 Enzymes inside vesicles
 Breakdown or modification of proteoglycans
 Inhibitors of calcification
 Materials changing matrix vesicle activity
 Vitamin D metabolites
 Growth factors (transforming GF beta)

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