Rheumatology

Your Article Summary

See Latest Articles

Microstructure and mineral composition of dystrophic calcification associated with the idiopathic inflammatory myopathies
Arthritis Research & Therapy, 10/27/09

Eidelman N et al. – The properties of the mineral present in the calcinosis masses are closest to that of enamel, while clearly differing from bone. Calcium and phosphate, normally present in affected tissues, may have precipitated as carbonate apatite due to local loss of mineralization inhibitors.

• Surgically-removed calcinosis specimens analyzed with fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy in reflectance mode (FTIR-RM) to map their spatial distribution and composition, and with scanning electron microscopy/silicon drift detector energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM/SDD-EDS) to obtain elemental maps
• X-ray diffraction (XRD) identified mineral structure, X-ray micro-computed tomography (microCT) mapped their internal structure and 3D distribution, quantitative backscattered electron (qBSE) imaging assessed their morphology and MD, nanoindentation measured their stiffness, and polarized light microscopy (PLM) evaluated organic matrix composition

• Some specimens composed of continuous carbonate apatite containing small amounts of proteins with mineral to protein ratio much higher than in bone, and other specimens contained scattered agglomerates of various sizes with similar composition (FTIR-RM)
• Continuous or fragmented mineralization present across entire specimens (microCT)
• Apatite much more crystallized than bone and dentin, and closer to enamel (XRD) and its calcium/phophorous ratios close to stoichiometric hydroxyapatite
• Deposits also contained magnesium and sodium (SEM/SDD-EDS)
• MD (qBSE) closer to enamel than bone and dentin, as was stiffness (nanoindentation) in the larger dense patches
• Large mineralized areas typically devoid of collagen; however, collagen noted in some regions within mineral or margins (PLM)
• Calcinosis masses with shorter duration appeared to have islands of mineralization, whereas longstanding deposits were solidly mineralized

Today in Basic Science/Genetics...keeping you current

Receive free subspecialty "5-minute updates" via email

Plasma level of myeloperoxidase in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (a pilot study)
Central European Journal of Medicine, 11/25/09

Urinary deoxypyridinoline is a BMD-independent marker for prevalent vertebral fractures in postmenopausal women treated with glucocorticoid
Osteoporosis International, 11/25/09

Estimation of monocyte-chemoattractantprotein-1 (Mcp-1) level in patients with lupus nephritis
International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases, 11/25/09

 See all of Basic Science/Genetics