The possible significance of hexosephosphoric esters in ossification

Abstract

IN the preceding paper [Robison and Soames, 1930] it was shown that, although bone slices from rachitic animals will calcify in solutions of inorganic salts supersaturated with respect to the bone phosphate, at lower concentrations of calcium and inorganic phosphate calcification will only occur in presence of phosphoric ester. At critical concentrations of the inorganic radical as little as 0*5 mg. per 100 cc. of phosphorus in the form of ester is sufficient to determine calcification, this amount being similar to that found in plasma. The solutions used for these experiments contained no protein and no other organic consti- tuent but phosphoric ester. The concentration of calcium ions was, therefore, higher than in plasma even when the total calcium content was the same. The solutions further differed from plasma in containing much less bicarbonate.