(and possibly ACP) as transient CaP precursors for the formation of carbonated apatite in an ex murine intramembranous mineralization model. vivo The methods applied in these reports,, preserve mineral chemistry and morphology but do not have the spatial or chemical resolution to analyze the morphological and chemical relationship between the highly disordered CaP granules and the needle-like globules (or any intermediate structures). This information could provide an improved understanding of the physicochemical format in which the mineral is delivered to the collagen, and how the mineral evolves over time to form mature bone mineral. High resolution spatially resolved analysis showing the steps by which the CaP precursor phases evolve both chemically and morphologically during the early stages of mineralization is missing from the literature. Very few techniques are available which provide spatially-resolved information about the chemistry and coordination environment of the different physicochemical formats of CaP in mineralizing tissues. To address this we have combined scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) with electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS), as well as high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), to analyze anhydrously preserved mineralizing osteoblast cultures. Utilization of an anhydrous method avoids aqueous solution-induced mineral phase transformations and preserves the crystallinity of the bone apatite.,2 This combination of techniques provides high spatial resolution (probe size of ~1 Å, allowing the ‘effective’ resolution in datasets to be governed by the magnification and pixel size chosen rather than being limited by optical parameters) analytical information about the step-by-step process by which the mineral grows into mature poorly crystalline carbonated hydroxyapatite in the ECM. Specifically variations between the morphology, chemistry and coordination environment of the different
(and possibly ACP) as transient CaP precursors for the formation of carbonated apatite in an ex vivo murine intramembranous mineralization model. The methods applied in these reports,, preserve mineral chemistry and morphology but do not have the spatial or chemical resolution to analyze the morphological and chemical relationship between the highly disordered CaP granules and the needle-like globules (or any intermediate structures). This information could provide an improved understanding of the physicochemical format in which the mineral is delivered to the collagen, and how the mineral evolves over time to form mature bone mineral. High resolution spatially resolved analysis showing the steps by which the CaP precursor phases evolve both chemically and morphologically during the early stages of mineralization is missing from the literature. Very few techniques are available which provide spatially-resolved information about the chemistry and coordination environment of the different physicochemical formats of CaP in mineralizing tissues. To address this we have combined scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) with electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS), as well as high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), to analyze anhydrously preserved mineralizing osteoblast cultures. Utilization of an anhydrous method avoids aqueous solution-induced mineral phase transformations and preserves the crystallinity of the bone apatite.,2 This combination of techniques provides high spatial resolution (probe size of ~1 Å, allowing the ‘effective’ resolution in datasets to be governed by the magnification and pixel size chosen rather than being limited by optical parameters) analytical information about the step-by-step process by which the mineral grows into mature poorly crystalline carbonated hydroxyapatite in the ECM. Specifically variations between the morphology, chemistry and coordination environment of the different