Studies of Peculiar Mg-Containing and Oscillating Bioapatites in Sheep and Horse Teeth

Abstract

New types of biological apatites have been discovered in molar sheep and horse teeth and are divided in two types. In the first and more general type, the release of Mg ions is parallel to the changes in composition of apatite leading to a final stoichiometric ratio of Ca to P ions, going from dentin depth towards the boundary of enamel with air. Inside dentin, another apatite sub-types were discovered with alternating layers of Mg-rich and C-rich apatites. The approximate formal stoichiometric relationships for these peculiar types of bioapatites are suggested. We identified two kinds of ion-exchanges responsible for formation of peculiar apatites. Various combinations of main and minor elements lead to new versions of biological apatites.