ISSN:
1432-0827
Keywords:
Hydroxyapatite
;
Bone
;
X-ray Diffraction
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
,
Medicine
,
Physics
Notes:
Abstract Evidence relating to the existence of crystalline bone mineral in vivo is considered, and bone apatite crystal structure investigated using an x-ray powder diffraction technique. Specimens of femoral compacta excised post-mortem from male and female subjects ranging from 3 1/2 years to 87 years of age have been studied. Values of the ratio c/a of bone apatite crystal cell axes for females are significantly higher (p〈0.05) than for males. Moreover, significant change of c/a with age is observed for males (p=0.0005) but not for females (p=0.30). Differences in c/a are interpreted as indicating substitution of constituent ions in the bone apatite crystals.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF02010360
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