ISSN:
1432-0878
Keywords:
Electron microscopic microprobe
;
Collagen mineralization
;
Proteoglycan mineralization
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
,
Medicine
Notes:
Summary Bundles of tibia tendon from 19 week-old turkeys were deep frozen, freeze dried and embedded in styrol methacrylate or Epon. In the distal mineralized region, bundles of unmineralized collagen fibrils as well as mineralized regions consisting of round microcompartments with low contrast surrounded by a mineral sheath with high contrast were found. The inner regions with low contrast corresponded to the mineralized collagen fibrils, while the contrast-rich peripheral zones corresponded to the mineralized collagen-free “ground substance”. Using electron microscopic microprobe analysis, it was shown that the peripheral mineralized region, consisting mainly of closely packed needles, often contained 100% more mineral substance than the central, mineralized collagen zone, which consisted mainly of plate-like crystallites. Possible reasons for this difference in mineral content are discussed on the molecular level.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00218713
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