Apatite single crystals. Formation, dissolution and influence of CO₃²⁻ ions

Abstract

Apatite single crystals. Formation, dissolution and influence of CO,' -ions J. Arends and W. L. Jongebloed Mureriu Technicu arm' CLntril of' Medical Electron Microscopy. Rliksunii~t~rsitc~it Groningm, Ant. Dcusinglam 1. 9713 A V Groning~n. The Ni~therlands ( Receiccd Octohar 2nd, 1980)

Genes encoding putative bicarbonate transporters as a missing molecular link between molt and mineralization in crustaceans

“…Similarly to crustaceans, numerous other biomineralizing organisms utilize different forms of carbonate for hardening of their skeleton; these organisms span a wide range of taxonomic groups, from unicellular organisms (such as coccolithophores 10 ), sponges 11 , and stony corals 12 to vertebrates. In vertebrates bicarbonate ions, being the most abundant ions after calcium and phosphate, play a central role in bone mineralization 13 , 14 via the pH regulation necessary for the control over such processes 15 – 19 . The transport of bicarbonate ions as part of the biomineralization process in these non-crustacean organisms is hypothesized to be facilitated by members of the SLC4 family of bicarbonate transporters 18 , 20 – 27 although it is important to note that these studies have only relied on gene upregulation associated with mineralization and not on direct evidence such as knock out experiments for the involvement of the SLC4’s in biomineralization.…”