Henry Ford Health System Henry Ford Health System Scholarly Commons Endocrinology Articles Endocrinology and Metabolism 7-25-2020 Role of Phosphate in Biomineralization Sanjay Kumar Bhadada Sudhaker D. Rao Henry Ford Health System,
[email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarlycommons.henryford.com/endocrinology_articles Recommended Citation Bhadada SK, and Rao SD. Role of Phosphate in Biomineralization. Calcif Tissue Int 2020. This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Endocrinology and Metabolism at Henry Ford Health System Scholarly Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Endocrinology Articles by an authorized administrator of Henry Ford Health System Scholarly Commons. Calcifed Tissue International https://doi.org/10.1007/s00223-020-00729-9 REVIEW Role of Phosphate in Biomineralization Sanjay Kumar Bhadada1 · Sudhaker D. Rao2,3 Received: 31 March 2020 / Accepted: 14 July 2020 © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2020 Abstract Inorganic phosphate is a vital constituent of cells and cell membranes, body fuids, and hard tissues. It is a major intracel- lular divalent anion, participates in many genetic, energy and intermediary metabolic pathways, and is important for bone health. Although we usually think of phosphate mostly in terms of its level in the serum, it is needed for many biological and structural functions of the body. Availability of adequate calcium and inorganic phosphate in the right proportions at the right place is essential for proper acquisition, biomineralization, and maintenance of mass and strength of the skeleton. The three specialized mineralized tissues, bones, teeth, and ossicles, difer from all other tissues in the human body because of their unique ability to mineralize, and the degree and process of mineralization in these tissues also difer to suit the specifc functions: locomotion, chewing, and hearing, respectively.