Aggregation of hydroxyapatite crystals.

A system to study the aggregation of hydroxyapatite crystals was developed. The effect of several factors (Ca2+ x Pi product, Ca2+/Pi ratio, pH, and various substances) were tested. Pb2+, Zn2+, Mg2+ and methyleneblue had only small effects; citrate inhibited aggregation. Pyrophosphate was a strong inhibitor and the diphosphonates disodium ethane-1-hydroxy-1,1-diphosphonate and disodium dichloromethylene diphosphonate were even more potent. The monophosphonate pentanemonophosphonate had no effect. Potent inhibition also occurred with glycosaminoglycans: heparin greater than hyaluronic acid greater than dermatan sulfate greater than chondroitin 4-sulfate greater than chondroitin 6-sulfate. Urine also showed high inhibitory activity. The inhibition of heparin but not that of hyaluronic acid, PPi or urine was abolished by egg white lysozyme. The effects described might be relevant in the normal mineralization process as well as in the mechanisms leading to pathological calcification, such as urinary stone formation.