title: Lateral packing of mineral crystals in bone collagen fibrils.
abstract: Combined small-angle x-ray scattering and transmission electron microscopy studies of intramuscular fish bone (shad and herring) indicate that the lateral packing of nanoscale calcium-phosphate crystals in collagen fibrils can be represented by irregular stacks of platelet-shaped crystals, intercalated with organic layers of collagen molecules. The scattering intensity distribution in this system can be described by a modified Zernike-Prins model, taking preferred orientation effects into account. Using the model, the diffuse fan-shaped small-angle x-ray scattering intensity profile, dominating the equatorial region of the scattering pattern, could be quantitatively analyzed as a function of the degree of mineralization. The mineral platelets were found to be very thin (1.5 nm approximately 2.0 nm), having a narrow thickness distribution. The thickness of the organic layers between adjacent mineral platelets within a stack is more broadly distributed with the average value varying from 6 nm to 10 nm, depending on the extent of mineralization. The two-dimensional analytical scheme also leads to quantitative information about the preferred orientation of mineral stacks and the average height of crystals along the crystallographic c axis.
authors: Department of Chemistry, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA.
authors: Christian
authors: C
authors: Burger
authors: Hong-Wen
authors: HW
authors: Zhou
authors: Hao
authors: H
authors: Wang
authors: Igors
authors: I
authors: Sics
authors: Benjamin S
authors: BS
authors: Hsiao
authors: Benjamin
authors: B
authors: Chu
authors: Lila
authors: L
authors: Graham
authors: Melvin J
authors: MJ
authors: Glimcher
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D002113:Calcification, Physiologic; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003460:Crystallization; D024022:Fibrillar Collagens / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D005399:Fishes; D008903:Minerals / Q000737:chemistry*; D008954:Models, Biological; D008956:Models, Chemical; D008968:Molecular Conformation
chemical_list: D024022:Fibrillar Collagens; D008903:Minerals