Issue 21, 2018

Atomic force microscopy imaging of classical and nonclassical surface growth dynamics of calcium orthophosphates

Abstract

Calcium orthophosphates (Ca-Ps) have long been the focus of extensive research due to their significance as inorganic phases of biomineral bones and teeth and the primary constituent of the majority of pathological calcified tissues. The utilization of atomic force microscopy (AFM) as an in situ imaging technique is to probe nanoscale and even near-molecular processes during Ca-P crystallization and unravel the underlying modulation mechanisms of biological molecules. According to the solubility defined as the equilibrium solute concentration for Ca-P growth, we first review classical crystallization mechanisms of brushite (DCPD) and the role of step-specific interactions, providing a context for interpreting the changes of step movement velocities and visualizing the modification of the growth hillock (spiral growth) morphology and the step features on a DCPD crystal surface in the presence of growth modulators using AFM. A nonclassical crystallization pathway for octacalcium phosphate (OCP) and hydroxyapatite (HAP) is then reviewed so that the effects of biomolecules, such as amelogenin proteins on tooth enamel formation, are set in a broader biomineralization context. Finally, we show how recent advances using AFM-based single molecule force spectroscopy (SMFS) have provided the energetic basis for probing the interactions between osteopontin (OPN) peptides and HAP to define a thermodynamic understanding of OPN roles in the growth of HAP at biomimetic cell membrane surfaces. These in situ AFM observations improve the fundamental understanding of the interfacial growth of Ca-P biominerals and their biomimetic substitute materials.

Graphical abstract: Atomic force microscopy imaging of classical and nonclassical surface growth dynamics of calcium orthophosphates

Article information

Article type
Highlight
Submitted
05 déc. 2017
Accepted
21 mars 2018
First published
21 mars 2018

CrystEngComm, 2018,20, 2886-2896

Atomic force microscopy imaging of classical and nonclassical surface growth dynamics of calcium orthophosphates

M. Li, L. Wang and C. V. Putnis, CrystEngComm, 2018, 20, 2886 DOI: 10.1039/C7CE02100C

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements