The Formation of Calcified Nanospherites during Micropetrosis Represents a Unique Mineralization Mechanism in Aged Human Bone

Milovanovic P, Zimmermann EA, Scheidt AV, Hoffmann B, Sarau G, Yorgan T, Schweizer M, Amling M, Christiansen S, Busse B (2017)

Publication Status: Published

Publication Type: Journal article, Original article

Publication year: 2017

Journal

Small Wiley-VCH Verlag

Publisher: Wiley-VCH Verlag

Book Volume: 13

Article Number: 1602215

Journal Issue: 3

DOI: 10.1002/smll.201602215

Abstract

Osteocytes—the central regulators of bone remodeling—are enclosed in a network of microcavities (lacunae) and nanocanals (canaliculi) pervading the mineralized bone. In a hitherto obscure process related to aging and disease, local plugs in the lacuno-canalicular network disrupt cellular communication and impede bone homeostasis. By utilizing a suite of high-resolution imaging and physics-based techniques, it is shown here that the local plugs develop by accumulation and fusion of calcified nanospherites in lacunae and canaliculi (micropetrosis). Two distinctive nanospherites phenotypes are found to originate from different osteocytic elements. A substantial deviation in the spherites' composition in comparison to mineralized bone further suggests a mineralization process unlike regular bone mineralization. Clearly, mineralization of osteocyte lacunae qualifies as a strong marker for degrading bone material quality in skeletal aging. The understanding of micropetrosis may guide future therapeutics toward preserving osteocyte viability to maintain mechanical competence and fracture resistance of bone in elderly individuals.

Authors with CRIS profile

Björn Hoffmann Lehrstuhl für Experimentalphysik (Optik)

Additional Organisation(s)

Graduiertenkolleg 1896/2 In situ Mikroskopie mit Elektronen, Röntgenstrahlen und Rastersonden Interdisziplinäres Zentrum, Center for Nanoanalysis and Electron Microscopy (CENEM)

Involved external institutions

Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) DE Germany (DE) Max-Planck-Institut für die Physik des Lichts (MPL) / Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Milovanovic, P., Zimmermann, E.A., Scheidt, A.V., Hoffmann, B., Sarau, G., Yorgan, T.,... Busse, B. (2017). The Formation of Calcified Nanospherites during Micropetrosis Represents a Unique Mineralization Mechanism in Aged Human Bone. Small, 13(3). https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/smll.201602215

MLA:

Milovanovic, Petar, et al. "The Formation of Calcified Nanospherites during Micropetrosis Represents a Unique Mineralization Mechanism in Aged Human Bone." Small 13.3 (2017).

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