concept

Calcium oxalate

Calcium oxalates are one of the most common biominerals in nature, and the most abundant group of organic minerals found in sediments and hydrothermal veins1. Calcium oxalate may represent up to 80% of the dry weight of some plants2. In higher plants, calcium oxalate is formed within specialized cells3 displaying a wide variety of shapes and sizes, and acting mainly as structural support or protection against predators4, 5. Additionally, the precipitation of crystalline calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM, CaC2O4·H2O, whewellite) or calcium oxalate dihydrate (COD, CaC2O4·2H2O, weddellite) in plants may serve to store calcium and maintain a low concentration in the cytosol in order to prevent interferences with cell processes2. However, calcium oxalate mineralization is typically pathological in vertebrates. In humans, calcium oxalate is associated with benign breast tissue calcifications6 and is commonly found in kidney stones5, 7. In healthy individuals, urine is typically supersaturated with respect to COM, but the development of stone disease is prevented by biological mechanisms. The presence of urinary proteins and small molecules such as the carboxylate-rich molecule citrate that act as COM nucleation and growth inhibitors prevents oxalate stone formation7. The concentration of citrate in the urine of individuals that develop kidney stones is commonly below the normal physiological range of 1–2 mM7. Thus, this molecule is used as a common therapeutic agent for treating stone disease. A sound knowledge of the physical–chemical mechanisms governing the role of citrate at modulating COM nucleation and early growth is critical for improving therapies for stone disease. Moreover, because the acidic residues of organic (macro)molecules are known to govern biomineralization in a wide range of organisms and minerals, analysis of the effects exerted by citrate on the early stages of COM formation may also provide insights on the molecular control of biomineralization8 and help to define better strategies for the synthesis of biomimetic materials. Note also that citrate has been reported to play a key role in the biomineralization of collagen by calcium phosphates during bone development9.

Ref: https://rdcu.be/cRRyr

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Added on Jul 17, 2022 by Barbara Van De Keer

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