Correlative spectroscopy of silicates in mineralised nodules formed from osteoblasts

Abstract

Silicon supplementation has been shown to play an important role in skeleton development, however, the 5 potential role that silicon plays in mediating bone formation, and an understanding of where it might localise in the resulting bone tissue remain elusive. An improved understanding of these processes could have important implications for treating pathological mineralisation. A key aspect of defining the role of silicon in bone is to characterise its distribution and coordination environment, however, there is currently almost no information available on either. We have combined a sample-preparation method that 10 simultaneously preserved mineral, ions, and the extracellular matrix (ECM) with secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) and electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) to examine the distribution and coordination environment of silicon in murine osteoblasts (OBs) in an in vitro model of bone formation. SIMS analysis showed a high level of surface contamination from polydimethysiloxane (PDMS) resulting from sample preparation. When the PDMS was removed, silicon compounds could not be detected within 15 the nodules either by SIMS or by energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX) analysis. In comparison, electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) provided a powerful and potentially widely applicable means to define the coordination environment and localisation of silicon mineralising tissues. We show that trace levels of silicon were only detectable from the mineral deposits of the mineralised nodules. Taken together our results suggest that silicon plays a biological role in bone formation, however, the 20 mechanism by which silicon exerts its physicochemical effects remains uncertain. Our analytical results open the door for compelling new sets of EELS experiments that can provide detailed and specific information about the role that silicates play in bone formation and disease.

Silicon and boron differ in their localization and loading in bone

“…Furthermore, B is suggested to affect bone/bone mineral by influencing serum steroid hormone levels (estrogen and testosterone) and the metabolism and utilization of Ca ( Hunt, 2012 , Devirian and Volpe, 2003 , EFSA, 2004 ) and other mineral elements of bone ( Nielsen, 2008 , EFSA, 2004 ). Silicon on the other hand, might be involved in the early stages of bone mineralization ( Carlisle, 1986 , Boonrungsiman et al, 2013 , Landis et al, 1986 ) and most data suggest an involvement with collagen and connective tissue development ( Jugdaohsingh, 2007 , Reffitt et al, 2003 & Jugdaohsingh et al, unpublished data) as noted above.…”

Growth performance, meat quality, and bone-breaking strength in broilers fed dietary rice hull silicon

“…(2011) , who demonstrated that dietary silicon supplementation has the ability to reduce lameness in broiler chickens. Boonrungsiman et al. (2013) noted that silicon supplementation plays an important role in skeleton development and bone formation.…”

Static and Dynamic Microscopy of the Chemical Stability and Aggregation State of Silver Nanowires in Components of Murine Pulmonary Surfactant

“…After 7 days, a larger amount of NPs was observed (Figure 5c, d, 6a). Analysis of their chemistry by STEM/EDX revealed only the presence of Ag (Figure 6b) (the silicon (Si) peak is due to Si contamination of the carbon grids) 33 . Since the buffers used for the incubation of the AgNWs only contained perchlorate ions, precipitation of insoluble Ag compounds such as Ag 2 O, AgCl, Ag 2 S or Ag 3 PO 4 could not have occurred in solution.…”