The Role of Poly(Aspartic Acid) in the Precipitation of Calcium Phosphate in Confinement.

ABSTRACT: Many questions remain regarding the formation of ultrathin hydroxapatite (HAP) crystals within the confines of collagen fibrils of bones. These structures form through the interplay of the collagen matrix and non-collagenous proteins, and in vitro mineralization studies employing poly(aspartic acid) (PAsp) as a mimic of the non-collagenous proteins have generated mineralized fibrils with structures comparable to their biogenic counterparts. In this article, we employ the nanoscale cylindrical pores perforating track-etch filtration membranes to investigate the role of PAsp in controlling the infiltration and crystallization of calcium phosphate (CaP) within confined volumes. Oriented polycrystalline HAP and non-oriented octacalcium phosphate (OCP) rods precipitated within the membrane pore

SUBMITTER: Cantaert B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3881609 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature