THEORIES OF

MINERALISATION
CONTENTS
• INTRODUCTION
• DEFINITION
• THEORIES
1 BOOSTING MECHANISM
2 SEEDING MECHANISM
3 MATRIX VESICLE THEORY
 MINERALIZATION
• It is the process taking place in all the calcified
structure in the body like the bone and enamel.

• Definition: it is defined as deposition of mineral salts

in and around the organic matrix to make it calcified
structure.

• The mineral which is deposited in vertebral skeletal

tissue is calcium phosphate and is present in the form
of apatite crystals.
• HARD TISSUES

1 ORGANIC MATRIX SUPPORT PROTIENS

amelogenin
collagen, etc……
OTHER PROTIENS
non amelogenins
non collagens, etc..
MATRIX PROTIENASES
MMP-20
collagen processing enzyme

2 INORGANIC MATRIX HYDROXYAPATITE

(Ca10[PO4]6[OH]2)
For mineralization to occur

1 HOMOGENOUS NUCLEATION
Local increase in concentration of inorganic ions.
2 HETEROGENEOUS NUCLEATION
The presence of nucleating substance

1 Collagen

2 Phosphoprotein

3 Osteonectin

4 Chondritin sulphate

5 Lipid
3 Removal or inactivation of inhibitors. Such as
pyrophosphate.
• 2 MECHANISM

1 BOOSING MECHANISM
2 SEEDING MECHANISM
• THEORIES:

1 BOOSTERS THEORY

Robison’s alkaline phosphatase theory

Cartier’s theory
White and Hess’stheory
2. SEEDING THEORY

3. MATRIX VESICLE THEORY

 BOOSTING MECHANISM

• According to this theory, due to

concentration/action of the enzymes the
concentration of the calcium & phosphate ions
which are building stones of the mineralization
increases to such a level that would lead to their
precipitation.
ROBISON’S THEORY:
He proposed that alkaline phosphatase is more
concentrated in mineralizing tissue, that this enzyme is
responsible for mineralization.
Mechanism:
Hexose phosphate -------- hexose + inorganic phopsphate
Inorganic phosphate+Ca------ insoluble Ca phosphate
amorphous Ca phosphate
DRAWBACKS Hydroxyapatite crystal
•Alkaline phosphatase was found to be present even in
tissues which did not mineralize.
•Calcification did not occur in inorganic solutions, if
certain enzyme inhibitors were added indicating that
even utilization of inorganic phosphate involves the
action of other enzymes.
 CARTIER’S THEORY

• According to this theory there are 2 types of

substances one which inhibit and other which
induce the process, so with proper control of
their concentrations the mineralization takes
place.

Inducer : adenosine triphosphate

Inhibitor: pyrophosphates
WHITE AND HESS THEORY

They suggested mineralization is

enhanced in increasing pH in alkaline
condition which is due to bicarbonate
ions promoted by carbonic anhydrase.
 SEEDING THEORY
It was made on account of shortcomings of booster
theory and experimental studies revealed that collagen
to act as a seed, with apatite crystals forming on the
collagen fibers.

The possible seeding substances are

1. collagen
2. chondroitin sulphate
3. phosphoprotiens

DRAWBACK
 Not all tissues containing collagen mineralize
 CHONDROITIN SULPHATE:
• It is a strong acidic substance which attracts ions
towards it and acts as a seed.

Drawback :
• Hyaline cartilage is rich in chondroitin sulphate,
but it does not calcify, whereas bone contains
less amount of chondroitin sulpahte.

• Chondroitin forms a complex with calcium ions by

reducing ca ions for mineralization.
 PHOSPHOLIPIDS
• Phospholipids mainly phosphatidol serine and
phosphatidol ionositol have a greater affinity
to calcium ions
 MATRIX VESCICLE THEORY
MOST ACCEPTED THEORY
• According to this theory, due to vesicles containing apatite crystals
near each cartilage cell which aggregate and form a matrix which is
mineralized.

There are 2 types of vesicles -

Type1 These are substances extruded from cartilage
cells.
Cause breakdown of proteoglycans & GAG.

Type2 These are detached pieces of cartilage cells

bounded by trillaminar membrane.
Promote mineralization by a blend of booster
and seeding mechanism.
 MATRIX VESICLE

Calcium binding lipids alkaline phosphatase

provide microenvironment to form

hydrxyapatite

Matrix vesicles are found only during initial stages

of hard tissue formation.
 OTHER NUCLEATORS in organic matrix

• Osteonectin
• Phosphoprotiens
• Collagen
• Lipids
• Anionic phospholipids
 Questions
• Short answer questions
• Enumerate theories of mineralization.