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Quantitative analyses of the biomineralization of different hard tissues
Author(s) -
Arnold S.,
Plate U.,
Wiesmann H. P.,
Stratmann U.,
Kohl H.,
Höhling H. J.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
journal of microscopy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.569
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1365-2818
pISSN - 0022-2720
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2818.2001.00831.x
Subject(s) - crystallite , paracrystalline , apatite , biomineralization , amorphous solid , transmission electron microscopy , materials science , crystallography , hard tissue , enamel paint , crystal structure , lattice (music) , electron diffraction , crystal (programming language) , diffraction , mineralogy , chemical physics , chemistry , chemical engineering , nanotechnology , composite material , dentistry , optics , physics , medicine , programming language , computer science , acoustics , engineering
The primary crystallites of the different developing hard tissues have an apatite structure. However, they have crystal lattice distortions representing an intermediate state between amorphous and fully crystalline. We have applied energy‐filtering transmission electron microscopy in the selected area electron diffraction mode to analyse different stages of crystal formation in dentine, bone, enamel and inorganic apatite mineral. We have obtained quantitative information on the degree of crystal lattice distortion using the paracrystal theory of Hosemann and Bagchi. We have found that the early formed crystallites of the hard tissues being analysed have a paracrystalline character comparable to biopolymers. However, with maturation, the lattice fluctuations of the crystallites of the hard tissues bone, enamel and dentine decrease to form a typical (para)crystalline character. Also the decrease of the organic proportion in the matrix corresponds to the decrease of the lattice fluctuation of the crystallites in the different hard tissues during maturation.