Chapter 16

In Vitro and In Vivo Regulation of Mineral Crystal Size and Shape

Adele L. Boskey

Abstract

Hydroxyapatite crystals formed in various tissues throughout the body have very specific shapes and sizes. These sizes, though heterogeneous, are specific to the tissue type and the age of the animal from which the crystals were derived. A multitude of factors contribute to the regulation of crystal sizes in different tissues. This chapter reviews those factors, and presents a brief introduction to the science of nucleation and crystal growth that governs the ways these crystals form and proliferate.

Total Pages: 380-400 (21)

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