Biomimetic Model Systems for Investigating the Amorphous Precursor Pathway and Its Role in Biomineralization

The biominerals have intrigued the materials engineer for years caused by high degree of crystallographic control during the precipitation of the bioinorganic crystals. Examples of biomineral features that have been mimicked in the laboratory utilizing the precursor pathway have been shown. This only proves that the unique compositional and textural features found in many different biomineral systems may be derived from this pathway. In the larger hydroxyapatite crystals of enamel, there seems to be evidence of spherical subunits that may be related to the colloidal precipitation mechanism. Intrafibrillar mineralization of collagen can be achieve with both CaP and CaCO3, highlighting the nonspecificity of the processes involved in forming. The role of the soluble type biopolymers from a new perspective is that, they may serve as process-directing agents whose function is to induce the amorphous precursor pathway, thus providing a potent means for regulating biomineral structure and properties. It has been demonstrated that there may be certain unifying principles found in biomineral systems and that not only biominerals are formed by an amorphous precursor but also the amorphous phase may possess fluidic properties that impart new processing capabilities to the system.