Hydroxyapatite
Definition
The calcium phosphate mineral (Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2) that constitutes approximately 70 percent of bone dry weight. Its crystals bind to DNA fragments electrostatically, slowing enzymatic degradation. The mineral phase is more stable than the organic phase and persists for geological timescales in favourable burial conditions.
Related terms
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- The dense outer shell of long bones, also called compact bone. Porosity is less than 10 percent. High mineral density, slow water...
- Inhibitor removal
- Laboratory steps applied to degraded bone before PCR amplification. Collagen hydrolysis products, humic acids, and heavy metals in aged bone inhibit DNA...
- Osteon (Haversian system)
- The basic structural unit of compact cortical bone: a central Haversian canal surrounded by concentric lamellae of mineralised collagen. Osteon diameter and...
- Stable isotope analysis
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- Trabecular bone
- The spongy inner lattice of bone, found at epiphyses and in flat bones. Porosity of 50 to 90 percent allows rapid water...
Explained in
- Bone Biology and Forensic SignificanceThe calcium phosphate mineral (Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2) that constitutes approximately 70 percent of bone dry weight. Its crystals bind to DNA fragments electrostatica...