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

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Hoffmann,  Bjoern
Micro- & Nanostructuring, Technology Development and Service Units, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, Max Planck Society;

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Sarau,  George
Micro- & Nanostructuring, Technology Development and Service Units, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, Max Planck Society;

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Christiansen,  Silke
Christiansen Research Group, Research Groups, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, Max Planck Society;
Helmoltz-Center Berlin for Materials & Energy (HZB);
Free University of Berlin, Dept Phys;

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Citation

Milovanovic, P., Zimmermann, E. A., Scheidt, A. v., Hoffmann, B., Sarau, G., Yorgan, T., et al. (2017). The Formation of Calcified Nanospherites during Micropetrosis Represents a Unique Mineralization Mechanism in Aged Human Bone. SMALL, 13(3): 1602215. doi:10.1002/smll.201602215.


Cite as: https://hdl.handle.net/21.11116/0000-0000-8EC0-7
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.