Extracellular matrix calcification: where is the action?

Access through your institution Buy or subscribe Physiological extracellular matrix (ECM) calcification or mineralization is restricted to bones, teeth and the hypertrophic zone of growth

plate cartilage. In contrast, pathological ECM calcification can be observed in any tissue of the body. The fact that only skeletal ECM mineralizes under physiological conditions inspires

one to question whether skeletal mineralization is an active process, involving specific gene products, or whether the action lies in preventing mineralization in the ECMs of other tissues.

Results from _in vitro_ experiments suggest that ECM mineralization is, at least in part, an active process regulated by specific gene products. Type I collagen fibrils as well as bone

sialoprotein (Bsp) are present in skeletal ECM and have been demonstrated to nucleate hydroxapatite formation _ in vitro_1,2. These results, however, do not explain the absence of

calcification in tissues such as skin, in which type I collagen is expressed at high levels, and the proposed function of Bsp as a regulator of bone mineralization has not yet been confirmed

_in vivo_. This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution RELEVANT ARTICLES Open Access articles citing this article. * INDUCED OSTEOGENIC DIFFERENTIATION OF HUMAN

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INFORMATION AUTHORS AND AFFILIATIONS * Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston , 77030, Texas, USA Thorsten Schinke & Gerard

Karsenty * Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Marc D McKee Authors * Thorsten Schinke View author publications You can also search for this

author inPubMed Google Scholar * Marc D McKee View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Gerard Karsenty View author publications You can also

search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS Reprints and permissions ABOUT THIS ARTICLE CITE THIS ARTICLE Schinke, T., McKee, M. & Karsenty, G. Extracellular

matrix calcification: where is the action?. _Nat Genet_ 21, 150–151 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1038/5928 Download citation * Issue Date: February 1999 * DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/5928

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