title: Chemistry of bone remodelling preserved in extant and fossil Sirenia.
abstract: Bone remodelling is a crucial biological process needed to maintain elemental homeostasis. It is important to understand the trace elemental inventories that govern these processes as malfunctions in bone remodelling can have devastating effects on an organism. In this study, we use a combination of X-ray techniques to map, quantify, and characterise the coordination chemistry of trace elements within the highly remodelled bone tissues of extant and extinct Sirenia (manatees and dugongs). The dense bone structure and unique body chemistry of sirenians represent ideal tissues for studying both high remodelling rates as well as unique fossilisation pathways. Here, elemental maps revealed uncorrelated patterning of Ca and Zn within secondary osteons in both extant and fossil sirenians, as well as elevated Sr within the connecting canals of fossil sirenians. Concentrations of these elements are comparable between extant and fossil material indicating geochemical processing of the fossil bone has been minimal. Zn was found to be bound in the same coordination within the apatite structure in both extant and fossil bone. Accurate quantification of trace elements in extant material was only possible when the organic constituents of the bone were included. The comparable distributions, concentrations, and chemical coordination of these physiologically important trace elements indicate the chemistry of bone remodelling has been preserved for 19 million years. This study signifies the powerful potential of merging histological and chemical techniques in the understanding of physiological processes in both extant and extinct vertebrates.
authors.affiliation: University of Manchester, School of Earth, Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences, Williamson Research Centre for Molecular Environmental Science, Manchester M13 9PL, UK. jennifer.anne@manchester.ac.uk and University of Manchester, Interdisciplinary Centre for Ancient Life, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Anné
authors.affiliation: University of Manchester, School of Earth, Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences, Williamson Research Centre for Molecular Environmental Science, Manchester M13 9PL, UK. jennifer.anne@manchester.ac.uk and University of Manchester, Interdisciplinary Centre for Ancient Life, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK.
authors.forename: Roy A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Wogelius
authors.affiliation: University of Manchester, School of Earth, Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences, Williamson Research Centre for Molecular Environmental Science, Manchester M13 9PL, UK. jennifer.anne@manchester.ac.uk and University of Manchester, Interdisciplinary Centre for Ancient Life, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK.
authors.forename: Nicholas P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.affiliation: University of Manchester, School of Earth, Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences, Williamson Research Centre for Molecular Environmental Science, Manchester M13 9PL, UK. jennifer.anne@manchester.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Arjen
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: van Veelen
authors.affiliation: Diamond Light Source, Didcot, OX11 0DE, UK.
authors.forename: Konstantin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ignatyev
authors.affiliation: University of Manchester, Interdisciplinary Centre for Ancient Life, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK and Department of Geology and Environmental Geoscience, College of Charleston, 66 George St, Charleston, SC 29424, USA.
authors.forename: Phillip L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Manning
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016723:Bone Remodeling; D005580:Fossils; D020453:Sirenia; D017356:Synchrotrons