Mineralization by Inhibitor Exclusion THE CALCIFICATION OF COLLAGEN WITH FETUIN

摘要: One of our goals is to understand the mechanisms that deposit mineral within collagen fibrils, and as a first step we recently determined size exclusion characteristics fibril. This study revealed apatite crystals up 12 unit cells in can access water fibril, whereas molecules larger than 40-kDa protein are excluded. Based on these observations, proposed novel mechanism for fibril mineralization: macromolecular inhibitors growth favor mineralization by selectively inhibiting crystal solution outside To test this mechanism, developed system which formation driven homogeneous nucleation at high calcium phosphate concentration only macromolecule fetuin, 48-kDa inhibitor growth. Our experiments with demonstrated fetuin determines location growth; presence grows exclusively its absence Additional showed also able localize calcification interior synthetic matrices have similar those it does so matrices. We termed new "mineralization exclusion," selective matrix using excluded from matrix. Future studies will be needed evaluate possible role bone mineralization.